Breakwater: Terminal 5 quarterly update, First Reading of short-term Terminal 46 lease and Terminal 46 Resolution top Tuesday’s meeting

HeaderWUT Cranes at Work

February 3, 2023

IN THIS ISSUE:

Terminal 5 quarterly update, First Reading of short-term Terminal 46 lease and Terminal 46 Resolution top Tuesday’s meeting

At their Tuesday, February 7 meeting, The Northwest Seaport Alliance Managing Members will hear an update on the Terminal 5 project. Staff will provide information on the ongoing Phase Two construction. Additionally, updates will include operational activities at Phase One and upcoming work taking place across both phases of the terminal.

Managing Members will hear the first reading of a Terminal 46 lease with Pacific Crane Maintenance Company (PCMC) for use of 65 acres and approximately 1,830 linear feet of berth space. Under the proposed lease, PCMC is expected to operate a one-berth cargo facility at Terminal 46 beginning in May 2023. The short-term lease is set to expire in Sept. of 2025.

Finally, the first reading of a Terminal 46 resolution will be brought before the Managing Members. The resolution aims to provide policy guidance for NWSA staff and stakeholders regarding future uses of Terminal 46 and surrounding properties. 

View the full agenda.

The in-person meeting begins at 11:30 am at Port of Seattle’s SeaTac Conference Center. Meetings are also streamed live from the NWSA’s website. 

To deliver comments by phone during the public comment portion of the meeting, please send an email to nwsacomment@nwseaportallianice.com by 9:00 a.m. Monday, February 6, 2023 that includes your name and the agenda topic you wish to speak to. Please include “speaker” in the subject line. Written comments may be submitted to the same email address.


NWSA welcomes new Managing Member Co-Chairs

Co-Chairs

At the start of 2023, the Port of Tacoma Commission and the Port of Seattle Commission elected their new Commission Presidents. While serving as presidents for the homeports, Commissioner Deanna Keller from the South Harbor and Commissioner Sam Cho from the North Harbor will also serve as the Co-Chairs of the NWSA. 


Breakbulk volumes have record-breaking year while TEU volumes decrease in December

NWSA-operated breakbulk terminals increased cargo volumes by 30.7% in 2022 compared to already record-high 2021 volumes.  Auto volumes were 171,544 units, up 5.6% over 2021 in part due to GLOVIS America’s consolidation of its Kia and Hyundai automobiles to our gateway.

Total container volume for the month decreased 8.8% to 231,799 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). While full imports declined 12.4%, full exports grew 14.9%—the first increase in over a year. Full-year volumes declined 9.4% to 3,384,018 TEUs, with full imports and exports declining 14.1% and 19.7%, respectively. Imports were impacted by high inventories, and exports were impacted by the strong dollar, ongoing tariffs in key markets, and lower vessel capacity from voided sailings. Read more.


South Harbor's Washington United Terminal to recieve new cranes

WUT

Washington United Terminals (WUT) will be receiving two additional super post-Panamax cranes in mid-May of 2023. These new ZPMC cranes boast a 24-wide container row reach, a lift above crane rail of 175 feet, and a lift capacity of 65 long-tons using a spreader and 100 long-tons with a cargo beam. The cranes are expected to be operational in mid-July following a commissioning period. This investment will further expand on WUT’s capability to handle the larger vessels being deployed in the transpacific trade.