PARTNERSHIPS
A partnership to keep up with demand By Linda Tyler Port of Skagit
A
boat builder with a vision. A Port district with a mission. A public-private partnership that supports a thriving business and continues to fulfill a promise of bringing good jobs to a community. The Port of Skagit in northwest Washington State is centrally located between the metropolitan centers of Vancouver, B.C. and Seattle, a geographical span with a population of more than six-million people. The Port of Skagit is home to almost 100 different businesses that support more than 1,700 jobs throughout its four enterprises: Skagit Regional Airport, Bayview Business Park, the SWIFT Center and the La Conner Marina. The La Conner Marina was first built in 1970 to be a jobs producer, in alignment with the Port’s mission of “Good Jobs for our Community.” It is still the same focus today, with an additional emphasis on recreational boating that supports the local economy through tourism and the marine services
In a relatively short amount of time Mavrik Marine has built a name and reputation for itself as a premier boat builder, with orders ranging from fishing boats for private individuals to 300+ passenger commuter-class ferry boats... industry. Seeing the commercial maritime industry and recreational boating coexist and support one another represents the fruition of the Port of Skagit Commission’s vision from decades earlier. Today, the La Conner Marina is part of a thriving maritime community that supports marine manufacturing, small businesses, commercial fishing, and recreational boating that contributes positively to the overall economy of Skagit County. It is home to 17 businesses, supporting more than 300 jobs in the area. One of the “anchor” tenants at the marina is Mavrik Marine, a company that specializes in the construction of
The Kenai Fjords 360, one of Mavrik Marine's signature catamaran designs. 50 — PACIFIC PORTS — August 2020
top-quality, aluminum commercial boats. In a relatively short amount of time Mavrik Marine has built a name and reputation for itself as a premier boat builder, with orders ranging from fishing boats for private individuals to 300+ passenger commuter-class ferry boats for the San Francisco Bay Ferry System. From humble beginnings with three employees, Mavrik Marine has grown and developed in its nine years, now supporting nearly 100 skilled wage jobs, with more on the way. An instrumental component of that success and growth according to owner Zach Battle, stems from the early and ongoing support he and his company received from the Port. “The Port of
