NWSA – Pacific Maritime Magazine

09 Apr

SSA Terminals, NWSA Complete 2nd Phase of Terminal 5 Modernization

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online NewsNWSA, seattle, ssa, terminal5

The second phase of the Terminal 5 Modernization Program, a key expansion project for trade in the Seattle harbor, is now complete, the Northwest Seaport Alliance said March 29. In a statement, the Seaport Alliance and SSA Terminals lauded the modernization project, which includes 185 acres of capacity for cargo and shore power capability at two berths. The newly upgraded Terminal 5 features two reconfigured berths with six modern super-post Panamax cranes. On-dock rail facilities, with more refrigerated plug-ins, support agricultural exporters and lower truck traffic near the terminal, NWSA said. “The opening of Phase 2 of Terminal 5 marks…

02 Apr

Auto, Breakbulk Cargo Service Launches at Seattle’s Terminal 46

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online NewsNWSA, seattle, tacoma, terminal46

Regular auto and breakbulk cargo service at Terminal 46 in the Seattle harbor officially began March 27 with the arrival of the vehicle carrier Triumph Ace. For the Northwest Seaport Alliance, Terminal 46 is a key location for cargo, offering more than 42 acres of laydown space in the Seattle harbor for cargo shippers. Terminal operator Pacific Terminal Services Co. and International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 19 are the processors of cargo at the terminal. Port of Seattle Commission President and NWSA Co-Chair Hamdi Mohamed said the alliance is excited to open Terminal 46 for regular service. We appreciate…

26 Mar

Port of Tacoma Okays Maritime Center Design Funding

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsmaritimecenter, NWSA, portoftacoma

Port of Tacoma commissioners on March 19 authorized $7 million toward the Port Maritime Center, which would pay for master planning, legal fees and community engagement and bring the project to 60% design. The total cost of the design is estimated at $13.5 million, according to a port commission staff report. The port and Tacoma Public Schools are teaming up to develop a Port Maritime Center Campus and a maritime skills center on Parcels 92 and 94, port-owned land along Foss Waterway across from downtown Tacoma. The Maritime|253 Skills Center aims to nurture the industry’s future workforce needs and would…

20 Feb

NWSA’s Terminal 46 Welcomes First Automobile Vessel in 20+ Years

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsglovis, imports, NWSA, terminal46

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…

05 Dec

Port of Tacoma Hires Familiar Face as Accounting Director, Auditor

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsnewsmakers, NWSA, portoftcoma

The Port of Tacoma has hired Don Kelley as its new director of accounting and port auditor, overseeing accounting activities for the port and the Northwest Seaport Alliance, it was announced Nov. 22. Kelley, who officially started Nov. 16, takes over for Darren Arakaki, who is expected to retire at the end of the year. This is a homecoming for Kelley, who spent 21 years of his career at the Port of Tacoma, starting as an accountant in 1999 before being promoted to manager of financial accounting and deputy auditor. He left in 2020 to become senior manager of general…

22 Aug

Northwest Seaport Alliance Sees Overall July Cargo Dip

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newscontainervolumes, NWSA, TEUs

The Northwest Seaport Alliance moved 9.9% fewer cargo containers last month than it did in July 2022, according to data released by the NWSA Aug. 17. The alliance, consisting of the ports of Seattle and Tacoma, moved 234,875 TEUs in cargo overall last month. Although full imports inched up 0.2% full exports fell 7.6% between July 2022 and July 2023. “Year-over-year comparisons continue to reflect the pandemic-driven conditions of 2022 and ongoing soft import demand relative to last year,” the alliance explained in a statement. So far in 2023, NWSA moved more than 1.63 million TEUs, a 21.2% year-over-year decrease,…

25 Jul

NWSA Sees Biggest Monthly Container Volumes of 2023

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, Opinioncontainervolumes, NWSA, portofseattle, portoftacoma

The Northwest Seaport Alliance saw its biggest container volume month of 2023 last month when it handled 252,232 units, according to data released by the alliance July 19. The NWSA, which is the marine cargo partnership jointly operated by ports of Seattle and Tacoma, also reported a 16.1% increase in June in full imports and an almost 5% jump in full exports last month over May. “Ocean service schedule consistency has improved at the gateway, helping drive the month-over-month improvement,” the NWSA said in a statement. Meanwhile, year-over-year statistics continue to reflect 2022’s pandemic-driven numbers and continued softening of import…

11 Jul

Puget Sound Zero-Emissions Truck Collaborative Launched

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsemissions, NWSA, pugetsound

For the first time, the Puget Sound Zero-Emissions Truck Collaborative convened more than two dozen trucking firms, warehousers and other industry stakeholders to in effort to create a plan for a “transition to zero-emission drayage trucking in the Puget Sound region by 2050,” the Northwest Seaport Alliance announced June 30. The collaborative, which is expected to meet bi-monthly until December 2024, is tasked with creating a Decarbonizing Drayage Roadmap, a blueprint for maximizing new opportunities such as government funding increases and dealing with specific challenges, including the high cost of zero-emission trucks and lack of charging and fueling infrastructure, according…

25 Apr

Soft Demand, Labor Talks Affect NWSA Cargo Numbers

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online NewsNWSA, seattle, tacoma

The Northwest Seaport Alliance, consisting of the ports of Seattle and Tacoma, saw its March cargo volumes tumble 24.6% year over year, from 901,234 TEUs in March 2022 to 679,820 TEUs last month, according to new data released April 17. Loaded imports fell 37.2% in March, which the alliance said is a result of soft consumer demand and shippers’ uncertainty over contract talks between West Coast dockworkers and their employers. In the months leading up to contract talks between the Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore & Warehouse Union, shippers have been diverting their cargo to East and Gulf…

18 Apr

Northwest Seaport Alliance Launches Shore Power Capability

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online NewsNWSA, shorepower

For the first time ever, a vessel was able to use shore power at a terminal in the Northwest Seaport Alliance on April 10 when the nearly 9,000-TEU vessel MSC Brunella plugged into shore power while at berth at the Seaport Alliance’s Terminal 5. The new infrastructure enables vessels to shut down diesel engines and connect to the electrical grid while at berth, which lowers diesel particulate matter and greenhouse gas emissions. This is part of a larger effort to green port operations under the Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy, which aims to install shore power infrastructure on international container…