NWSA Auto Units Up 110.3% YTD

Improved vessel schedules in October contributed to year-over-year volume increases for the second consecutive month at the NWSA. October 2023 container volumes reached 274,626 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), with total volume increasing 0.9% over October 2022. Full imports for the month increased 5.1% while full exports increased 31.6% compared to 2022.

Year-to-date volume comparisons continue to improve, although low-import demand is expected to suppress volumes in the near-term. Total TEUs declined 14.6% YTD to 2,480,459 TEUs, with full imports declining 16.9% and full exports growing 2.1% after two months of strong volumes.

The NWSA was awarded $54 million in grant funding from the 2023 Port Infrastructure Development Program. Funding will support the expansion of Husky Terminal in the Tacoma Harbor, further increasing the gateway’s global competitiveness and creating jobs. This builds upon the previous modernization of Husky Terminal that reconfigured the wharf and added eight super post-Panamax cranes to increase the terminal’s big ship handling capability.

Domestic container volume decreased 0.1% YTD 2023 compared to YTD 2022. Alaska volumes increased 2.6%, and Hawaii volumes declined 12.1%. 

Other cargo stats:

• Total breakbulk volume decreased 7.1% for 374,035 metric tons YTD.
• Auto volumes were 279,759 units, up 110.3%. New General Motors business coupled with GLOVIS America’s consolidation of its KIA and Hyundai business in our gateway from October of last year will make for favorable month-over-month comparisons in 2023. Additionally, with manufacturing returning to pre-pandemic levels coupled with and pent-up demand for auto sales, we are experiencing stronger than forecast volumes through our gateway.

View the October 2023 cargo reports:

• Container volumes – October 2023
• Cargo statistics – October 2023