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At their September 1 meeting, The Northwest Seaport Alliance Managing Members will take action on a proposed lease and operating agreement amendment with Auto Warehousing Co. supporting continued growth in the gateway’s auto business. The proposal would shift and expand vehicle-processing space, helping accommodate new business while reducing operating costs and generating additional annual income.
During the meeting, Managing Members will also hear the first reading of a lease agreement between the NWSA and GRT Environmental Services (USA) Ltd. GRT requested a 20-year term lease for approximately seven acres of yard space and 500 linear feet of dock space at 3401 Taylor Way, commonly known as W Hylebos Log Dock.
Additionally, Managing Members will also hear a first reading of proposed updates to the NWSA’s bylaws. The proposed changes aim to provide greater clarity to the roles and responsibilities of the co-chairs. The revisions would also establish a formal process for commissioners to appeal certain co-chair decisions and include several organizational updates to make the bylaws easier to navigate and understand.
View the full agenda.
The September 1 public session begins at noon at the Fabulich Center in Tacoma. Meetings are streamed live from the NWSA’s website.
To deliver comments during the public comment portion of the meeting, please send an email to nwsacomment@nwseaportalliance.com by noon on Monday, August 31, 2026, that includes your name, the telephone number you will be calling from, 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 and will be provided to the commissioners.
The Northwest Seaport Alliance reached another milestone in its transition to zero-emission cargo handling operations with the arrival of its second battery-electric forklift at the East Blair One Terminal in Tacoma. The newly delivered forklift is one of several pieces of zero-emission cargo handling equipment being deployed at the breakbulk terminal, which is managed and operated by the NWSA.
The equipment deployment was funded through a $2.6 million award from the Washington State Department of Transportation’s Port Electrification Grant Program. In addition to the battery-electric heavy-duty 36,000-pound forklift, the grant funding is also supporting the purchase of two battery-electric 8,000-pound forklifts and the associated charging infrastructure.
The electric forklifts are replacing diesel-powered equipment that has historically been among the most heavily utilized pieces of cargo-handling equipment at the terminal. Learn more.
Full exports through the NWSA gateway in 2026 were up 2.6% through July against the five-year average. Total container volume in July reached 239,220 twenty-foot equivalent units, which is down 4.2% compared to July 2025.
The NWSA breakbulk volume increased 19.2% through July as strong industrial demand continues to buoy volumes. Year-to-date breakbulk cargo through July has reached 249,622 metric tons. Read more.
Terminal 46 in Seattle has been busy! In early August, the CMA CGM Silverstone arrived at Terminal 46 and our labor partners handled the largest auto discharge at the terminal to date.
The majority of the 4,727 vehicles will be processed in our gateway, while the rest were loaded back onto a vessel and shipped to Canada. Great job by the members of ILWU Local 19, 52 and 98 for their hard work to get this job completed!
Auto Warehousing Company, Inc. secured a multi-year agreement with Subaru of Canada, which began in August. The auto units arrive in the NWSA’s Tacoma Harbor and are moved in bond on rail. Subaru is expected to bring in up to 30,000 units annually.
The NWSA offers vessel and rail connections to Canada, with an interchange connection with major Canadian railroads. With coordination between vessels, terminal operators, labor partners and logistics partners, it highlights our ability to keep the global supply chain moving.
The NWSA is launching a free English language learning course designed to help drayage drivers at the ports of Seattle and Tacoma strengthen practical communication skills needed to work safely, meet compliance expectations and succeed in daily interactions at terminals, on the road and with customers.
The first session is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, September 29 at 5:30 p.m. Classes will run from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday for four weeks.
Dates for the second session have not yet been scheduled, but will likely begin a week or two after the first session concludes. Click here for more information and to sign up.
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