Pacific Maritime Association

Mount Rainier highlights the skyline beyond the Port of Tacoma. The historic alliance combines the marine cargo and business operations for the two ports, which together now stand as North America's fourth- largest container gateway. During the year, both Seattle and Tacoma saw increases in cargo volume, with containers and bulk cargo registering significant gains. Together, overall revenue tonnage was up by 8.4 percent compared to 2015. The alliance also dug into sizable plans to upgrade port infrastructure at both locations, approving major investments designed to improve operations. In 2016, more than $140 million was approved for upgrades at the Port of Tacoma's Husky Terminal, which will include technology to allow vessels to plug into shore power, four new cranes, and an expanded dock to allow two mega-ships of up to 18,000 TEUs each to dock simultaneously. The alliance also moved forward with plans to redevelop Seattle's Terminal 5, releasing its Final Environmental Impact Statement on the project. When complete, the facility will have deeper berths and bigger cranes, feeding the alliance's vision to make the terminal "big ship ready." In February 2016, the Port of Seattle passed a major test when the CMA CGM's Benjamin Franklin called at Terminal 18. Previously, the Benjamin Franklin had made news as the largest cargo carrier ever to visit North American shores. In August, the alliance also launched and funded a three-month extended truck gate program, timed to ease congestion during peak shipping season. Officials later continued the program for an additional three weeks into December, as a result of strong demand. All told, terminal operators added more than 50 hours per week of truck gate availability. Oregon sees growth in autos In 2016, the Port of Portland saw a double-digit percentage increase in shipments of autos and trucks. Currently the third largest auto gateway on the West Coast, the Port of Portland in 2016 saw shipments of autos and trucks rise more than 12 percent. In a first, the Port of Portland also shipped more than 200 Tesla X and S Models to China. n 27 P A C I F I C M A R I T I M E A S S O C I A T I O N Regional Developments: Pacific Northwest T he ports of Seattle and Tacoma in 2016 marked their first anniversary operating together as The Northwest Seaport Alliance, with solid gains in cargo volumes and plans to upgrade multiple terminals in order to draw business back to the Puget Sound ports. T H E Y E A R I N R E V I E W

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