Weekly NWSA Volumes & Metrics Report

Given the rapid changes in trade policy and the uncertainty these changes bring, the NWSA will be compiling and regularly releasing the latest data on cargo movement through our gateway. Check back here on Mondays for the latest information.

Overview

Cranes unload a container ship at Port of Tacoma. Crews work the Yang Ming Mutuality at the Port of Tacoma's Washington United Terminals June 4, 2025.

For the week ending May 30, volumes were down for the 4th consecutive week, and down significantly both week over week and year over year. International imports were down 27.7% from the week before and 41% from the 2024 weekly average. Truck trips were down 26% from the week before and 35.4% from the May 2024 weekly average. Vessel lifts were down 22.4% from the week before and 42.1% from the May 2024 weekly average.

This significant week over week drop was driven in large part by higher voids and one off-schedule vessel that was delayed into the following week. Almost all the vessels that did call were also carrying less volume than expected from recent trends.

A container ship in Terminal 5 in Seattle A container ship is unloaded at Terminal 5 in Seattle on May 27, 2025.

Vessels that arrived the week of May 26 to May 30 would have departed Asia after several weeks of the higher tariff rates being in effect and before the pause was announced. This further reduction in volumes likely demonstrates the continued impacts of the elevated tariff rate. This recorded week is expected to be the low point of this dip, with fewer voids expected the two weeks after and vessels expected to be carrying higher volumes starting the following week. 

You can find last week’s report here. You can find the full vessel schedule, including the 4 week look ahead and breakdown by harbor, here.

an icon of a ship on an orange button

Vessel Calls

*Void (or blank) sailings are when a regularly scheduled service skips our port.

*All numbers are for international container ships, and do not include domestic, breakbulk or RoRo. 

Week Ending May 23 – 12 Voyages (2 Void Sailings) 

Week Ending May 30 – 10 Voyages (3 Void Sailings) 

Week Ending June 6 – 13 Voyages (1 Void Sailing)  

Week Ending June 13 - 12 Voyages (2 Void Sailings)  

A chart of vessel calls by month.

a stack of shipping containers on a teal button

 
Weekly International Import Containers

Week Ending May 30 – 8,004 containers imported  

-41.6% vs 2025 Q1 Average (13,710)   

-41.1% vs 2024 Weekly Average (13,592)   

-32.5% vs May 2024 Weekly Average (13,119) 

An icon of a truck on a yellow button.

 
Weekly Truck Transactions (Containers In/Out of Terminal via Truck)

Week Ending May 30 – 17,321 truck transactions  

-31.7% vs 2025 Q1 Average (25,371)   

-35.4% vs May 2024 Weekly Average (26,830) 

A crane and ship icon on a blue button

 
Weekly Vessel Lifts (Containers On/Off a Vessel)

Week Ending May 30– 17,433   

-39.5% vs 2025 Q1 Average (28,814)   

-42.1% vs May 2024 Weekly Average (30,137) 

A chart of vessel values of iron and steel imports by origin country. A chart outlining the value amount of steel imported in 2024.

Market Intel

Steel tariffs were increased last week from 25% to 50%. The category of import for ‘iron & steel product’ is a significant international import for the NWSA. It is the number one import by TEU from Taiwan and the number four import by TEU from Japan.

NWSA supply chain partners continue to be prepared for an expected surge beginning around June 16.

Previous Reports