TACOMA SEES 35-PERCENT JUMP IN INTERMODAL YARD TRAFFIC

TACOMA SEES 35-PERCENT JUMP IN INTERMODAL YARD TRAFFIC    The port of Tacoma’s north intermodal yard, which serves the container terminals of Evergreen and “K” Line, handled 35 percent more traffic in the week from Feb. 8 to Feb. 14.
   The yard handled a record 7,312 intermodal lifts, defined as transfers of containers between ship and rail, even though the first quarter is typically a quiet period.
   The Pacific Northwest port said that the previous one-week intermodal record was set at 6,825 lifts in October 2002 — the first week after the West Coast labor
lockout.
   “This has been a very strong first quarter for the port, and we would not be surprised to see more records fall in the coming months,” said Agnes Smith, the port’s operations superintendent. A third of this increase came from Lloyd Triestino’s new China service to Tacoma.
   Port officials also credit some of the increased volume to shipments that were delayed in the wake of the October 2002 labor lockout.
   “We believe shipping delays have played a role in this increase, but we don’t know to what extent,” said Doug Ljungren, the port of Tacoma’s business planning
manager. “Also, there has been some diversion of export containers to Tacoma due to continued congestion at other West Coast ports,” he added.