The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) has reported a 15.5 per cent increase in total container volumes for September 2023, with 329,609 TEU handled.
The NWSA’s September 2023 container volumes were the highest monthly total so far this year. The performance was driven by consistent vessel arrivals and increasing intact intermodal rail volumes.
Improved vessel scheduling also helped to boost export volumes. Full-month imports grew 31.8 per cent, while full-month exports increased 33.6 per cent.
READ: NWSA post highest 2023 monthly container volume for June
The September performance improved year-over-year (YoY) volume comparisons though low-import demand market conditions are expected to continue in the near-term.
Total TEU declined 16.3 per cent year-to-date (YTD) to 2,203,757 TEU, with full imports and exports declining 19.1 per cent and 0.8 per cent, respectively.
READ: NWSA volumes dip 10 per cent
NWSA Managing Members authorised $9 million in financing for the final design phase of the proposed shore power project at Terminal 18 in Seattle Harbour.
This includes a $1 million grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology. The design is planned to be completed next year.
Domestic container volume fell 0.8 per cent YTD 2023 compared to YTD 2022. Volumes in Alaska climbed by 1.9 per cent, while volume in Hawaii decreased by 12.7 per cent.
In August, NWSA announced that its container throughput totalled 242,700 TEU that month.
