|
At their Oct. 6 meeting, The Northwest Seaport Alliance Managing Members will take action on a proposed 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 hear a first reading of a proposed 5-year lease agreement between the NWSA and Crowley Marine Services, Inc. at Pier 17 in Seattle.
During the meeting, Managing Members will also take action on a proposed contract with NJI Media for a comprehensive rebranding effort aimed at strengthening the NWSA’s identity and recognition in the global shipping marketplace. The project includes stakeholder engagement, naming exploration, brand development and launch planning to better communicate the NWSA’s role and value to customers, partners and communities.
In addition, Commissioners will consider amendments to agreements with GLOVIS America that support the company’s continued use of Tacoma as its long-term Pacific Northwest gateway for Hyundai and Kia vehicle imports, and hear a first reading of proposed changes to the NWSA Managing Member bylaws.
View the full agenda.
The Oct. 6 public session begins at noon at the Conference Center at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. 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, Oct. 5, 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.
Decades in the making, the new State Route 167 Expressway in Pierce County is now open to drivers, creating a more direct connection between Interstate 5 and the Port of Tacoma.
The project represents a significant step toward improving freight mobility, supporting economic activity and strengthening supply chain reliability throughout the Puget Sound region.
The new expressway connects SR 509 and key freight corridors near the Port of Tacoma with I-5, providing a more efficient route for trucks to move cargo between marine terminals, distribution centers and markets across Washington state and beyond. The project fills a long-standing gap in the regional transportation network and is expected to improve travel reliability while reducing congestion on local roads.
This first segment is part of the larger SR 167 Completion Project. Once fully completed, SR 167 will provide a direct route between NWSA cargo terminals and major warehousing, manufacturing and distribution centers in Puyallup, Sumner, Auburn and Kent. Learn more.
Full exports through the NWSA gateway in 2026 were up 2.1% through August against the five-year average. Total container volume in August reached 235,795 twenty-foot equivalent units, which is down 8.2% compared to August 2025.
The NWSA breakbulk volume increased 10.7% through August as strong industrial demand continues to buoy volumes. Year-to-date breakbulk cargo through August has reached 284,696 metric tons. Read more.
Washington state’s ports are powerful economic engines, supporting jobs and connecting our region to global markets.
In September, NWSA CEO John Wolfe joined dozens of regional politicians and business leaders at a press conference to launch the Partnership for a Competitive Puget Sound. The partnership aims to build on the region’s strengths with coordinated action to restore competitiveness, retain employers, attract investment and create jobs.
Wolfe spoke at the event about the important role ports play in supporting the local economy, job creation and the strengths of the Seattle-Tacoma gateway, while noting the competitive landscape ports in Washington state are facing.
The NWSA looks forward to the opportunity to join partners from across the region to help our local economy thrive, and to work together to draw cargo back to Washington state and the jobs that come with it. Click here to learn more about the Partnership for a Competitive Puget Sound and the Regional Plan for Jobs and Opportunity.
The Quiet Sound program, a collaborative initiative that works with the maritime industry to reduce underwater vessel noise for Southern Resident orcas, recently released the annual results of its 2025-26 Voluntary Vessel Slowdown. The report shows the program achieved record participation with more than 595 vessel transits and helped create a 20% quieter soundscape in the slowdown area.
Building on those results, the 2026-27 voluntary slowdown season began Sept. 4 with the arrival of Southern Resident orcas in Puget Sound, with maritime partners, including The Northwest Seaport Alliance, continuing to support the effort.
Click here to see the full results of the 2025-26 Voluntary Vessel Slowdown report.
|
