Container Volumes at Puget Sound Ports Still Down

Container volumes through the US ports of Seattle and Tacoma continued to struggle in February, dipping 9 percent year to date.

The two West Coast ports have handled 457,620 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in February.

Containerized imports fell nearly 16 percent year to date to 181,864 TEUs, while exports were down 8 percent to 159,124 TEUs. Domestic volumes to Alaska and Hawaii grew 1 percent to 116,623 TEUs.

The Puget Sound ports say they are still feeling the effects of the prolonged contract negotiations between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and Pacific Maritime Association.

Normal operations resumed at the ports’ terminals on February 21, when the two parties reached a tentative agreement.