Membership

Membership Levels

MARITIME

Companies for which the maritime sector accounts for at least

50% of their revenues. *All Health Trust members use Maritime levels.
Maritime members are voting members at the Annual meetings.

Annual dues, (based on number of employees), are:

  • $100 - Deckhand (1 employee/Sole)
  • $200 - Mate (2-10 employees)
  • $500 - Captain (11-49 employees)
  • $750 - Admiral (50+ employees)
MARITIME MEMBERSHIP

*Health Trust Members: Maritime Membership levels are required for Health Trust members. If you are joining for our health trust, please select a Maritime level membership.

ASSOCIATE

Individuals, businesses, or non-profits whose annual revenue is not  dependent on maritime-related operations, or which do not provide maritime services or products.  Associate members are non-voting members at the Annual meetings.

Annual Dues:

  • $150 - Company (includes non-profits)
  • $75 - Individual
ASSOCIATE COMPANY
ASSOCIATE INDIVIDUAL

We invite you to join us, add your voice and experience, and together we’ll keep our waterfronts working hard, for all.


Below are the sectors of Maritime our membership represents. If you're a Maritime Member, be sure to indicate in your membership form or profile page what sector you represent:

  • MARINE TRADES

    Our Marine Trades sector includes those who service our vessels, work on our engines, paint our hulls, and wire our electronics. They're the businesses and individuals who maintain and improve our waterfront infrastructure, and commercial vessels. 

  • SEAFOOD PROCESSORS

    These are the members who clean, process and package the fish and seafood that our fishers bring back home. From dressing to cold storage, these members make sure product arrives to you fresh, and ready for a good dinner.

  • CHARTER / BROKER / PASSENGER

    Charter / Broker / Passenger businesses provide tours, excursions, charters, and memorable experiences to all the visitors who come to the waterfront.

  • CHANDLERY / RETAIL

    The Chandlery & Retail sector provides the gear, outfitting, and tools to our bustling trades sector.

  • COMMERCIAL FISHING

    Our commercial fishing fleets are vital to our local economy and way of life in Whatcom County. Made of our members who trawl, troll, gillnet and purse-seine, these members bring the bounty of the sea home to you. Whether getting your next meal at Dockside Market, or dining at the fine restuarants along our shores, their work is something we all enjoy. 

  • SHIPYARDS / MANUFACTURING

    Our shipyards and manufacturing businesses haul out our vessels, build new boats, and manufacture the goods, equipment and infrastructure that go into them.  

  • ASSOCIATES

    Associate members are all our supporting businesses, organizations, non-profits and individuals who love our waterfront and value our maritime economy, who do not have 50 percent or more of their revenue tied to waterfront or water-access.

  • GENERAL MARITIME

    This category encompasses all of our commercial shipping, logistics, and transportation businesses and members, who do not fall under any other category.

Why Become a Member

Over 6,300 jobs in Whatcom County’s workforce are involved in the maritime sector, and each member in the Coalition is important to the continued economic benefit and vibrancy that our waterfront provides. Our members represent the many people working hard, each and every day, to ensure that our waterfronts work for all. 

Member Directory

(To search by industry sector, select 'Advanced Search' at the top of directory)

Membership Benefits

  • Advertise through our newsletters, and post jobs on the Coalition’s Job Board, a free service to our members.
  • Network with businesses and peers through hosted events, outreach, and our common goal to sustain our trades.
  • Build relationships and connections across Whatcom County and beyond in the maritime sector and it’s related industries.
  • Keep informed about issues that may affect the success of your business through regular publications and email alerts on important developments.
  • Ensure your voice is heard and find support dealing with issues confronting your business along the waterfront. 
  • Receive two regular newsletter publications, Waterfront Wednesdays and On the Waterfront, that keep you up to date on waterfront news. 
  • Offer competitive, affordable benefits to your employees through the Working Waterfront Coalition Health Trust.
  • Take advantage of the HR/Legal Document Library - Sign-up Here.
  • Preserve and showcase Whatcom County’s historical and vibrant maritime heritage.




The Coalition is a membership-based organization that works to sustain our waterfronts and exchange ideas to further the sustainability of our communities.

  • We provide a unified voice for the maritime sector to promote the economic stability of our trades and a working waterfront.
  • We work collaboratively with our members and other stakeholders to resolve issues that threaten the livelihood of marine trades and our maritime sector.
  • Along with the Whatcom County/Bellingham Tourism office, we also serve as an anchor organization in the newly created Maritime Washington National Heritage Area, that helps tell the stories and history of the people, places and industries that have shaped our shores. 


The Coalition also:

  • Offers a growing Health Trust to qualifying maritime & marine trades companies state-wide
  • Helps support and found the Northwest Maritime Apprenticeship Program, training professional Marine Service Technicians
  • Works with members to provide scholarships at Bellingham Technical College for marine-trades-related occupations
  • Is an information and networking hub, keeping members updated on issues, projects and events all across our waterfronts.


When you join the Working Waterfront Coalition, you join with industry leaders, maritime trades professionals and individuals from your community working in the maritime sector and beyond - all committed to sustaining, enhancing, and preserving our region’s working waterfronts, and ensuring our waterfronts remain accessible to all.


If you do not wish to renew or join online using the Neon Portal, please email our staff at Dant@whatcomworkingwaterfront.org with your company details and relevant member level.


Apprentices in the Marine Technician Apprenticeship are eligible for membership as part of their enrollment in the apprenticeship. 

Please contact Dant@whatcomworkingwaterfront.org to activate your membership.

Helpful tips:


  • If you are a current member and have used the Neon Portal already, follow the buttons above, log in using your Neon Portal credentials, and renew your membership.


  • If you are a current or new member, and have not used the Neon Portal previously or logged in to it, click the appropriate button above and then:
  • When you click the button, a pop-up window appears as the page loads. (Ensure you have pop-ups enabled)
  • New Members: Close [X] out of the log in pop up window and continue through the form.
  • Current Members: Under the "Forgot Your Password" header, enter the email address you've given us to communicate with you in the past.
  • Click the 'Recover Account' Button. Note: If the email you entered matches the email we've used to communicate with you, and your company is already in our system, it will match the company with you.
  • You will receive an email with a clickable link. Click the link in the email.
  • On the page that loads, a list of existing accounts associated with your email is displayed. Select the one you are making the account for.(Please note that you can have individual accounts, as well as be associated with a Company-level account. These will have separate log-ins)
  • You'll be prompted to create a login name and a password. Follow the steps to create an account for the company selected.


Thank you for helping us to reduce duplicate activations in our management system.