Port of Bellingham Releases 2025 Economic Development Progress Report
Major Infrastructure Investments, Business Growth, and Community Partnerships Advance Economic Development Across Whatcom County
The Port of Bellingham has released its 2025 Whatcom County Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) progress report, highlighting major infrastructure investments, business growth, and community partnerships that advanced economic development across Whatcom County during a challenging year.
The report (linked directly here) reflects progress aligned with the 2022–2026 CEDS goals and is available at https://portofbellingham.com/1003/CEDS.
“Despite economic uncertainty, constrained public budgets, and regional challenges, our community continued to move forward through strong partnerships and strategic investment,” said Port Economic Development Director Tyler Schroeder. “This report showcases the progress being made to support living-wage jobs, resilient infrastructure, and long-term economic opportunity throughout Whatcom County.”
In 2025, the Port continued modernization of the Bellingham Shipping Terminal, completing key dock and stormwater upgrades while advancing environmental cleanup and navigation improvements. Terminal activity is beginning to reactivate, with new marine cargo contracts expected to generate approximately $1 million in wages and 1,200 dockworker shifts by the end of 2026.
The Port also completed the purchase of the 59-acre Boxx Berry Farm in Ferndale, transitioning the property into an Agricultural Research Center operated by the Whatcom Food and Farming Station to support local farmers, climate-resilient agriculture, and community education.
Business retention and expansion efforts included a new lease with Pure Blue Tech Inc., a local clean-technology company expanding from 10,000 to nearly 49,000 square feet, supporting the growth of high-wage jobs in the clean-tech sector.
Additional 2025 milestones include completion of a countywide industrial lands study to identify barriers to industrial land readiness, release of an economic development strategy for Point Roberts, and continued workforce development efforts such as the Blue Tech by the Bay maritime career exploration event for high school students in a five-county region.
As the Associate Development Organization (ADO) for Whatcom County, the Port continues to collaborate with local jurisdictions and Team Whatcom partnerships while beginning planning for the 2027–2031 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, scheduled for completion in 2026.
About the Port of Bellingham
The Port is a countywide municipal corporation with a mission to fulfill the essential transportation and economic development needs of the region. Throughout Whatcom County, the Port owns, operates and maintains approximately 1600 acres of property including a shipping terminal, a cruise terminal, two marinas, industrial development areas, commercial uplands, parklands, shoreline public access areas and an international airport. For more information about the Port of Bellingham, please visit www.portofbellingham.com
