For the first time in more than two decades, the Port of Seattle’s Terminal 46 welcomed the arrival of an automobile vessel, according to the Northwest Seaport Alliance.
On Feb. 2, the GLOVIS America logistics services vessel Silver Sky called at the terminal, carrying more than 2,500 automobiles bound for KIA and Hyundai dealerships in Canada. The new auto imports business builds upon the gateway’s automobile volumes, which saw a 96% year-over-year increase in December 2023, internal data show.
“Terminal 46 is a key marine cargo property, and we are glad to work together with International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 19, GLOVIS, Customs and Border Protection, and the stevedore Pacific Terminal Services Company to expand cargo volumes in our gateway,” Port of Seattle Commission President and NWSA Co-Chair Hamdi Mohamed said.
Terminal 46 has been instrumental in the alliance’s ability to offer various cargo capacities. For example, during the pandemic-driven cargo surges, the terminal became a near-dock storage facility to help enhance cargo flow.
“We are glad to have strategic properties like Terminal 46 to help facilitate more cargo movement in our region,” Port of Tacoma Commission President and NWSA Co-Chair Kristin Ang said.
