The Ports of Seattle and Tacoma, after lengthy secret talks, plan to combine management of their marine cargo terminals and form a single Seaport Alliance, so Puget Sound waters can better attract marine cargoes that have a choice of destinations.

The Seaport Alliance will manage marine cargo terminal investments plus marketing, planning and operations, while existing government structures, taxing authority and ownership of assets remain in place. For instance, the Port of Seattle will still own and run the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

The long-competitive ports have been drawn together by an old guiding principle: There’s nothing like a hanging in the morning to focus the mind.

The two big ports face rising competition from the Great White North. The Canadian government is strengthening the railroad connection between Prince Rupert and markets of the Midwest. The deepening of the Panama Canal means such East Coast ports as Charleston and Savannah become viable destinations.

“The ports of Seattle and Tacoma face fierce competition from ports throughout North America, as shipping lines form alliances, share space on ever-larger vessels and call at consolidated terminals at fewer ports,” said Port of Tacoma Commission President Clare Petrich.

Gov. Jay Inslee praised the Seaport Alliance as serving the “best interests of the region and the state as a whole,” adding: “The Ports of Seattle and Tacoma are taking an important step towards a collaborative regional operations model.”

Or, in the words of Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., “It just makes sense for both major container ports in Puget Sound to work together.”

Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., along with others in Washington’s delegation, are trying to get Congress to put aside ideological wars long enough to revise the country’s Harbor Maintenance Tax. Additional revenues are needed, in McDermott’s words, “to be competitive with our neighbors to the North.”

The urgency of revision can be seen by a look north of the 49th Parallel.

The Canadian government is spending $80 million (C) in Prince Rupert on the Road, Rail and Utility Corridor project. Federal, provincial, local government and industry are collaborating on a $307 million Roberts Bank Rail Corridor capital investment at the Port of Vancouver.

The Seaport Alliance comes after talks guided by the Federal Maritime Commission, in charge of regulating America’s international ocean transportation system.

The Seattle and Tacoma ports will submit a detailed agreement for the Seaport Alliance to the FMC by March 31, 2015. Overseeing the transition will be Port of Tacoma CEO John Wolfe and Kurt Beckett, Port of Seattle Deputy CEO and a former Cantwell aide. Wolfe is expected to head the combined marine cargo operations.

In the meantime, the two ports will formally adopt and move to submit what is called an “interlocal agreement” — examining business objectives, investments and organizational structure — at a joint public meeting on Oct. 14.

Seattle Port Commissioner Bill Bryant, a longtime advocate for integrating the two ports, declared:

“Well, we took the first step; we still need federal approval. When we get it, we will have created the third largest port in North America.”

The Ports of Seattle and Tacoma sustained more than 48,000 local jobs as of 2013.