The Port of Tacoma container volumes fell seven per cent to 1.93 million TEU in 2007 after successive years of record performance at the major US Pacific north west harbour in Washington state.
The port authority attributed the slump to a softening US economy, a weakening housing market and rising rail and road costs.
From 2002 through 2006, Tacoma set successive container records, with volumes growing from 1.5 million TEU to 2.1 million. In 2007, the port's container volume totalled 1.9 million TEU.
"Consumer demand is cyclical and cargo volumes follow these factors," said port commission president Dick Marzano, emphasising the port's five-year US$953.6 million capital improvement programme to expand terminal, rail and road capacity.