Get a ship-side view of some of the 43,000 local jobs related to Port of Tacoma activity on board a free guided boat tour Aug. 26 during the Tacoma Maritime Fest.

Tours begin and end at 535 Dock St. in the heart of the Tacoma festival at Thea’s Park.

During the narrated tour, visitors will see ships and marine terminals up close, cruise under the world's largest container cranes, glimpse Port-constructed wildlife habitat and learn about some of the other Tideflats-based businesses that boost our region’s economy.

Tour details
Boat tours are Sunday only. Departures are 10 and 11:30 a.m., and 1, 2:30 and 4 p.m.

Tickets are first come, first served the day of the tours. Arrive 30 minutes before departure to make sure to secure a seat aboard the 250-passenger boat.

Passengers with mobility challenges should plan to take the 4 p.m. tour when the tide makes it easier to board.

Before or after the tour, enjoy kid-oriented activities, such as coloring pictures, creating words with signal flags and donning colorful “tattoos.”

For directions and information about parking, see http://www.maritimefest.org/map-directions/. For more information about the boat tours, call (253) 597-7564.

About the Port of Tacoma
The Port of Tacoma is an economic engine for South Puget Sound, with more than 43,000 family-wage jobs in Pierce County and 113,000 jobs across Washington state connected to Port activities. A major gateway to Asia and Alaska, the Port of Tacoma is among the largest container ports in North America. The Port is also a major center for bulk, breakbulk and project/heavy-lift cargoes, as well as automobiles and trucks.