Cargo Stats

You are here

Home / Terminals / Cargo Statistics

Monthly cargo reports

We are the fourth-largest container gateway in North America, and our regional marine cargo facilities are also a major center for bulk, breakbulk, project/heavy-lift cargoes, automobiles and trucks. We report volumes each month.

Jul 18 2019

NWSA’s international TEUs through June 2019 reach record volumes

Jul 18 2019

The Northwest Seaport Alliance reached record-breaking international container volumes with 1,559,903 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), a 7.6 percent increase from the prior year. The year-to-date international container volumes through June surpassed the record set in 2005 with 1,532,987 TEUs.

For total container volumes from January through June 2019, the NWSA handled 1,915,249 TEUs, a 7.6 percent increase from the same period in 2018. Import and export volumes grew 6 percent and 9.2 percent, respectively.

Total container volumes in June reached 343,221 TEUs, a 2.3 percent decrease from June 2018. One factor was that shipping lines canceled several sailings to manage container overcapacity for the trans-Pacific trade. International imports were down 5.9 percent, and exports were down 5 percent over June 2018.

Domestic volumes in June remained strong with a 12.1 percent increase over June 2018. This marked the sixth consecutive month of domestic container growth. Alaska volume was up 16.4 percent from June 2018, supported by strong Alaska North Slope oil and gas activity. Alaska’s year-to-date volumes were up 8.6 percent. Hawaii’s year-to-date volumes were up 3.8 percent.

The NWSA announced the launch of the Gate Efficiency Program in June to help fund additional gate hours at our international container terminals through December 2020. The incentive-based program began on July 1 with participation from Terminal 18 in Seattle and Pierce County Terminal in Tacoma.

Other cargo highlights:

  • Breakbulk cargo volumes were up 17.1 percent year to date to 141,266 metric tons.
  • NWSA auto volumes year to date were 80,674 units, up 18.8 percent.

View the June 2019 cargo reports:
Jun 17 2019

NWSA moves record-breaking international container volumes through May

Jun 17 2019

The Northwest Seaport Alliance’s total container volumes in May reached 315,792 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), a 2.1 percent increase over May 2018. While international imports were down 4.7 percent, exports were up 6.6 percent over May 2018.

Total container volumes for the first five months of the year reached 1,572,028 TEUs, a 10.1 percent increase from the same period in 2018, with import and export volumes growing 8.9 percent and 12.8 percent respectively.

International container volumes for January through May 2019 set a record at 1,287,947 TEUs, a 10.8 percent increase from the prior year. Previously, the strongest year-to-date international container volumes at the port was in 2006 with 1,250,798 TEUs.

Domestic volumes in May remained strong with an 8.1 percent increase over May 2018, marking the fifth consecutive month of domestic cargo growth. Alaska volume was up 5.6 percent from May 2018 as the state’s recession ends and investment on the North Slope occurs. Hawaii volumes were up 22.8 percent with an extra vessel call. In addition, the introduction of the 3,620-TEU Kaimana Hila into Matson’s Hawaii service added capacity to the trade. Alaska’s year-to-date volumes were up 6.7 percent. Hawaii’s year-to-date volumes were up 6.9 percent.

The NWSA is launching the Gate Efficiency Program this summer to position our gateway to handle additional volumes during peak season. The program incentivizes international container terminal operators to offer extended gate hours from July 2019 through December 2020. The terminal operators will be reimbursed based on the number of weekly off-hour gates offered during the 18-month period.

Other cargo highlights:

  • Breakbulk cargo volume was up 22.8 percent year to date to 119,184 metric tons.
  • NWSA auto volume year to date was 62,653 units, up 23.6 percent.

View the May 2019 cargo reports:
May 20 2019

NWSA handles record-breaking international container volumes in April

May 20 2019

Matson Mahimahi
April 2019 was the busiest April ever for The Northwest Seaport Alliance’s international container volumes. At 265,781 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), it marked an 18.4 percent rise over April 2018. International container volumes for the first four months of 2019 also set records at 1,041,303 TEUs, a 13.6 percent increase from the prior year.

“While we continue to monitor the effects of tariffs, we remain committed to supporting our customers move cargo efficiently through our gateway,” said Tong Zhu, NWSA’s chief commercial officer and chief strategy officer.

In April, the PN4 service — THE Alliance’s fourth Asia service — began calling Washington United Terminal (WUT) in our South Harbor. Additionally, the arrival of Matson’s Mahimahi marked the first containership to call at Terminal 5 in the North Harbor since July 2014. Matson’s newest ship the Kaimana Hila also joined the weekly Hawaii service, which will be operated by SSA Terminals. Matson relocated from Terminal 30 to the south berth of Terminal 5 as the north berth of the 185-acre terminal prepares to undergo modernizations.

Total domestic volumes for April increased 5.4 percent to 58,167 TEUs compared to April 2018, marking the fourth consecutive month of domestic cargo growth. Alaska’s year-to-date volumes were up 7.1 percent following an unusually robust January. Hawaii volumes through the Pacific Northwest were up 2.9 percent for this year.

For total container volumes, the NWSA moved 323,948 TEUs in April, up 15.8 percent over the same period last year. Import and export volumes were up 14.3 percent and 22.4 percent respectively. Total container volumes for 2019 reached 1,256,236 TEUs, a 12.2 percent increase from 2018, year to date, with import and export volumes growing 12.8 percent and 14.3 percent, respectively.

Other cargo highlights:

  • Breakbulk cargo volume was up 27.6 percent year to date to 90,806 metric tons.
  • NWSA auto volume year to date was 50,156 units, up 22.5 percent.

View the April 2019 cargo reports:

Search archives

Subscribe to email updates

Trade statistics

What are the NWSA’s top commodities?
What countries are your top trading partners?
What was the value of trade last year?