October 31, 2025 — Port of Newport officials introduced a new tool in their quest to ward off abandoned vessels when they introduced more rigorous insurance requirements at Tuesday’s Port Commission meeting.
Director of Operations Aaron Bretz introduced the first reading of an ordinance change that would modify insurance practices outlined in the facilities code.
The facilities code allows owners seeking long-term moorage 30 days to provide proof of insurance after an agreement is signed. With the vessel already at the dock and a moorage agreement signed, enforcing that insurance requirement can sometimes be a challenge. To tackle that problem, port management instituted a new policy that is now being proposed as an official ordinance change. The proposed change requires proof of insurance as part of the registration process. Until that registration is complete, the vessel pays the transient daily rate, which is higher than the more favorable long-term moorage rate.
Bretz told commissioners that the proposed change to the code will not only speed up compliance with insurance requirements, but also incentivize vessel owners who don’t want to pay the higher transient rate.
Port Executive Director Paula Miranda summed it up, saying “The concept here is that we don’t want to give a moorage agreement until they provide proof of insurance. Until then, they have to pay the daily rate.” She reminded commissioners that there have been situations in which uninsured vessels sank in the marina, leaving the port to address the costly removal.
Bretz pointed out that vessels that are not insurable are the ones likely to become abandoned. Sometimes the vessel owner can no longer afford insurance, or the vessel is old and cannot be insured without costly repair work, if at all. By forcing insurance compliance up front, the Port has another tool to flag potential concerns.
The proposed change to the ordinance will come back before the Port Commission at the November meeting, when they will hear public comment and potentially take action on the issue.
