Northwest Seaport Alliance grows cargo volumes in October

The Northwest Seaport Alliance, which comprises the ports of Seattle and Tacoma, Wash., handled 304,703 TEUs for the month, a 3.6 percent increase from the same 2015 period, according to figures from the port authority.    The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA), which comprises the ports of Seattle and Tacoma, Wash., handled 304,703 TEUs in October, a 3.2 percent increase from the previous year, according to figures from the port authority.
   Through the first 10 months of 2016, total container throughput at NWSA stood at 2.96 million TEUs, down just 0.1 percent from the same 2015 period.
   Loaded export container volumes are up 12.7 percent year-to-date at 802,343 TEUs, but exports of empty containers are down 26 percent from the first ten months of 2015.
   Likewise, throughput of laden import containers has grown 3.7 percent year-over-year through October to 1.13 million TEUs, while empty imports dropped 15.7 percent during the same period.
   To support the increased volumes and strong agricultural exports during the peak shipping season, NWSA earlier this month lengthened its extended gates program through Dec. 2. NWSA Chief Operations Officer Dustin Stoker said the decision to offer an additional three weeks of the extended gate program, originally scheduled to end Nov. 11, was based on “positive feedback” from shippers.
   “While weak empty and domestic volumes continue to drag down overall container volume growth, domestic cargo tipped up in October with a 4.2 percent increase from the late run of seafood,” NWSA said in a statement. “Year-to-date, domestic volumes have been down as Alaska struggles with a decrease in oil- and gas-related project activity due to low commodity prices. The month’s overall domestic volume showed a modest increase, however, due to additional sailings related to a rise in demobilization of Alaska’s stock, equipment and gear away from the area.”