Import traffic at the Northwest Seaport Alliance, the pairing of the waterborne units of the Port of Seattle and Port of Tacoma, rose a strong 10 percent last month, defying a troubling slowdown at some other West Coast gateways.
Full imports totaled 115,960 TEUs, or twenty-foot equivalents, the standard measure for cargo containers. Including outbound empty containers, the alliance set a record for international traffic, which increased 18 percent to 255,817 TEUs. Full exports rose 8 percent in May.
The jump has added significance because the megaports of Los Angeles and Long Beach reported tepid growth in May, leading some industry experts to say the “Panama Canal effect” was kicking in. Virginia and Georgia port authorities saw robust traffic increases. The Panama Canal, widened a year ago, now allows large container ships to bypass the West Coast and sail to U.S. East and Gulf coast ports.
