Drayage chassis supply tight at Seattle, Tacoma ports

The use of 40-foot chassis in the Seattle-Tacoma area has risen from 72 percent to 92 percent, causing supply to run short, according to Northwest Seaport Alliance data.    The ports of Seattle and Tacoma are dealing with a shortage of the chassis that are used by drayage truckers to haul goods to and from the ports, the alliance that runs the ports’ marine cargo operations said Oct. 2.
   “As we enter the peak season for both imports and exports, the Northwest Seaport Alliance asks for empty containers to be returned as quickly as possible,” the NWSA said in a message to customers.
   The TRAC Pacific Northwest Pool, formerly called the West Coast Metro Pool, serves the marine port and rail Markets of Portland, Tacoma and Seattle. The use of 40-foot chassis in the Seattle-Tacoma area has risen from 72 percent to 92 percent, according to Seaport Alliance data.
   New Jersey-based chassis provider TRAC Intermodal has said that it’s moving nearly 350 more chassis into the Puget Sound region to support the demand, but that in the meantime, all users are encouraged to expedite the return of empty equipment.
   “This will help ensure chassis availability and cargo flows at our terminals during this critical time of year,” the NWSA explained.