The Crimson Polaris (Image source).

A chip dock on the Samoa peninsula has been renovated and is currently loaded up with a big pile of wood chips bound for China. Here’s a press release from Green Diamond Resource Co.:

Green Diamond Resource Company is pleased to announce the reopening of the Chip Dock located at Samoa. Upgrades were initiated at the Chip Dock in March of 2012 with all of the work accomplished by local contractors. The vessel Crimson Polaris will arrive on Monday morning and begin loading a cargo of wood chips representing the inaugural shipment for the newly renovated facility.

“We are pleased that our facility is part of the revitalization of the Port of Humboldt Bay and the Chip Dock is providing much needed infrastructure to support the local timber industry and creating jobs,” said Green Diamond Senior Vice President Neal Ewald. The chip facility employs 12 people on a full-time basis and 20 workers during ship loading, as well as longshoremen, tugboat operators, a local shipping agent, and local trucking jobs.

The project is the result of a cooperative effort by the company and many community leaders interested in growing the Humboldt County economy. Jack Crider, CEO of the Humboldt Bay Harbor District, is enthused by the project. “The Harbor District is encouraged by the reopening of this facility,” he said. “The Green Diamond Chip Dock is an important part of rebuilding infrastructure that will provide increased ship traffic at the Port of Humboldt.”

County Supervisor Virginia Bass agrees. “It is great to see this facility reopen and new jobs being created. Hopefully this new activity signals the beginning of new opportunities for our Port.”

The Crimson Polaris is 656 feet long with a beam of 106 feet and a draft of 37 feet. The ship is expected to be loaded and on its way by the end of the week, with the cargo bound for China.