Container volumes through the ports of Seattle and Tacoma continued to struggle last month, dipping 9 percent year to date.

Through February, the state’s two largest ports have handled 457,620 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs). Containerized imports fell nearly 16 percent year to date to 181,864 TEUs, while exports were down 8 percent to 159,124 TEUs. Domestic volumes to Alaska and Hawaii grew 1 percent to 116,623 TEUs.

Cargo volumes were affected by the prolonged contract negotiations between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and Pacific Maritime Association. Normal operations resumed at our terminals Feb. 21 when the two parties reached a tentative agreement.

The ports are working to quickly clear the backlog of cargo and ships that built up during the nine months of contract negotiations.

In other cargo news, grain exports grew 13 percent to 1.7 million metric tons and breakbulk volumes improved 11 percent to 42,972 metric tons. 

View the February 2015 cargo reports:

• Container volumes - February 2015
• Cargo statistics - February 2015