Tacoma/Seattle take a slide

News 23 Jun 2016 by WCN Editorial

Container volumes at the Northwest Seaport Alliance dropped 7% in May.

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The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA), which includes the ports of Tacoma and Seattle, saw container volume fall 7% to 280,784 TEU in May 2016, down from 302,907 TEU in May 2015. The NWSA cautioned that comparisons with 2015 are difficult as normal cargo patterns were disrupted that year by the lull and then surge in volumes around ILWU contract negotiations.

Nevertheless, the NWSA highlighted that export container cargo continues to recover, growing 12% year to date to 382,295 TEU. “Meanwhile, full imports are flat year to date at 520,215 TEU. Imports have been muted as retailers continue to work through excess inventory. Domestic volumes remain sluggish due to the weakened Alaska economy” the Alliance noted. Hawaii cargo is also down, falling 13.6% so far this year, a decline of nearly 8,000 TEU.

On a year to date basis to the end of May, the NWSA ports are tracking 1.9% lower than 2015, a loss of around 26,000 TEU. In other cargo categories the NWSA said auto imports were flat and “breakbulk cargo continues to struggle, down 36% due to the strong dollar and slowing economic growth in China”.