Import and domestic container traffic dropped by nearly 12 percent in February over last year’s totals at the Port of Tacoma, new statistics show, The News Tribune reports.
That 11.6 percent drop last month leaves the port 4.2 percent down for the first two months of the year. The port handled 102,941 container units in February compared with 116,484 for the same month last year.
The drop in container numbers occurred in all categories, full international containers both inbound and outbound, empty containers and in domestic containers bound for Alaska and Hawaii.
While container numbers were off for the year so far, the port could get a substantial boost in its shipments this summer when three shipping lines move their operations from the Port of Seattle to the Port of Tacoma. The three, Hapag Lloyd, OOCL and NYK Lines, announced their move earlier this month.
Besides the critical container numbers, Port of Tacoma traffic was also down by 28.1 percent in logs and .9 percent in autos. Breakbulk shipments, goods too large or unwieldy to ship in containers, were up 51.1 percent for the year so far. Grain shipments were up 28.4 percent for the year and gypsum imports increased by 62.3 percent.
That 11.6 percent drop last month leaves the port 4.2 percent down for the first two months of the year. The port handled 102,941 container units in February compared with 116,484 for the same month last year.
The drop in container numbers occurred in all categories, full international containers both inbound and outbound, empty containers and in domestic containers bound for Alaska and Hawaii.
While container numbers were off for the year so far, the port could get a substantial boost in its shipments this summer when three shipping lines move their operations from the Port of Seattle to the Port of Tacoma. The three, Hapag Lloyd, OOCL and NYK Lines, announced their move earlier this month.
Besides the critical container numbers, Port of Tacoma traffic was also down by 28.1 percent in logs and .9 percent in autos. Breakbulk shipments, goods too large or unwieldy to ship in containers, were up 51.1 percent for the year so far. Grain shipments were up 28.4 percent for the year and gypsum imports increased by 62.3 percent.