NWSA January volumes declined 5.8% to 272,281 twenty-foot equivalent units, with full imports declining 0.9% and full exports declining 36% year-over-year. Overall volumes in the gateway have been impacted by vessel call omissions, while full exports continue to be affected by a shortage of equipment and vessel capacity due to vessel voids.
Domestic volumes declined 2.3% compared to January 2021. Alaska volumes decreased 4.3% while Hawaii, which had one additional call over last year, volumes grew 5.7%.
With spring deployment changes, the NWSA will likely see the return of services that were temporarily suspended or called less frequently due to congestion. Vessel calls on the Ocean Alliance’s Columbus PNW service and THE Alliance’s PN3 and AL5 services are expected to increase in the coming months.
Other cargo stats:
- Breakbulk cargo volumes grew 26.3% for 28,316 metric tons.
- Auto volumes were 14,517 units, up 59.6% over January 2020 as the demand for autos remains strong and the chip shortage eases.
The Northwest Seaport Alliance is a marine cargo operating partnership of the ports of Seattle and Tacoma. Combined, the ports are the fourth-largest container gateway in the United States. Regional marine cargo facilities also are a major center for bulk, breakbulk, project/heavy-lift cargoes, automobiles and trucks.