Cargo Business Newswire

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

June cargo traffic up 14 percent at Seattle-Tacoma ports

Cargo volume at the ports of Tacoma and Seattle jumped 14 percent in June year-over-year, according to a joint statement.

The ports of Seattle and Tacoma formed the Northwest Seaport Alliance this year to share the operations and marketing of most of their major terminals. They now report cargo statistics together instead of individually.

Through the first half of the year, volumes remained stable with the Puget Sound gateway handling nearly 1.8 million TEUs, a 3 percent gain year-to-date.

Containerized exports rose 5 percent on the year through June to 628,718 TEUs, while imports grew

nearly 3 percent to 715,307 TEUs. Domestic volumes remained flat, up 1 percent year to date to 433,715 TEUs. Empty container exports were up 86 percent year-to-date, as excess equipment that accumulated during the West Coast dockworker contract negotiations was sent back to Asia, the two ports said.

Other cargo categories were variable. Auto import volumes increased by 5 percent to 93,890 vehicles, while breakbulk cargo fell by 2 percent in the first half and grain exports dropped by 8 percent.

The two port commissions are expected to vote to finalize the details of the Northwest Seaport Alliance at a joint meeting Aug. 4.