Northwest Seaport Alliance posts flat container volumes

The Northwest Seaport Alliance, consisting of the ports of Seattle and Tacoma, handled 313,811 TEUs in August, a 0.6 percent increase from August 2015.

   The Northwest Seaport Alliance, consisting of the Port of Seattle and the Port of Tacoma, reported that container volumes remained flat in August compared to August 2015, continuing the trend for their year-to date-container volumes.
   During the month, the port partners handled 313,811 TEUs, a 0.6 percent increase from August 2015. Since the start of 2016, container volumes have dipped less than 1 percent year-over-year to 2.32 million TEUs.
   For the first eight months of the year, loaded imports ticked up 3 percent to 879,435 TEUs, while exports jumped 13 percent to 625,523 TEUs. Empty containers fell nearly 22 percent for the first eight months of the year, while domestic volumes slipped 3 percent.
   In other cargo news:
     • Breakbulk cargo through August fell 29 percent to 128,545 metric tons, hindered by the strong U.S. dollar, along with the global downturn in agricultural, mining and construction equipment;
     • Log exports through August declined 48 percent to 92,840 metric tons, due to decreased demand in China and competition from New Zealand;
     • And auto volumes through August fell 5 percent to 119,758 units, resulting from vehicle manufacturers moving factory locations and shifting the supply chain.