NWSA Cargo by the Numbers

Cargo operations in our region are managed by The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA), which jointly operates the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma. On Mondays, the NWSA publishes a weekly update of its volumes and metrics for both ports. 

The updates below include both the North Harbor (Seattle) and South Harbor (Tacoma) for the Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA). 

Weekly Updates

Week of June 30

Source: Northwest Seaport Alliance 

The week ending June 13 saw mixed results compared to the previous week, but all metrics continued to be down compared to the June 2024 weekly average. For international imports, there was a 10.4% drop from the previous week and were 29.2% lower than the June 2024 weekly average. This was largely due to 3 blank sailings that took place that week. Looking forward, numbers will likely increase for the last two weeks in June, as there are both fewer blank sailings and additional cargo that is anticipated for the second half of the month.

Truck transactions saw a slight increase from the week before and vessel lifts stayed almost stagnant, though both are 12.9% and 9.3% lower than the June 2024 weekly average, respectively. 

• Follow the detailed weekly update on the Northwest Seaport Alliance website
• Reference a full vessel schedule and four week lookahead 
   

Weekly Vessel Arrival Snapshot
 

Week ending June 27

Source: Marine Exchange of Puget Sound

• YTD arrivals are down 5% compared to this time last year (1290 → 1224)

Weekly Vessel Calls

Source: Northwest Seaport Alliance 

+ A "void sailing," also known as a "blank sailing," refers to a scheduled cargo ship service that skips a port or region it was supposed to visit. 

Vessels: Year over Year Change

Source: Marine Exchange of Puget Sound

May 1-23

Monthly comparisons to same time last year for Seattle and Tacoma

• For vessels coming into Seattle, see the Ship Sightings page 

2025 International Container Volumes (imports and exports)

Source: Northwest Seaport Alliance 

• Bold = highest
• Italics = lowest 

• For more detailed information, check the Northwest Seaport Alliance website.

10-Year Historical Context 

Source: Northwest Seaport Alliance 

Below, you’ll find historical context for the last ten years in international container volumes (imports + exports + empty) by TEUs.

What’s a TEU?: The TEU stands for 20-foot equivalent unit, a standard that can be used to measure a ship’s cargo capacity. One TEU is 20 feet long and 8 feet tall.

•  Bold = highest
• Italics = lowest 

• See the NWSA Container Volume History (Excel Spreadsheet)