The Port of Seattle set an all-time container record for itself in 2010, boosted by a nearly 50 percent increase in imports and nearly 20 percent increase in exports over 2009 numbers.
The port handled a total of 2.13 million TEUs in 2010, narrowly besting its previous annual record of 2.09 million TEUs handled in 2005. The 2010 totals were up 34.6 percent over 2009, representing an increase of just under 550,000 TEUs.
During 2010, the port handled 897,364 loaded inbound TEUs, a 46.6 percent increase over the 2009 calendar year. The port also moved a total of 548,179 loaded outbound TEUs in 2010, a 19.3 percent increase over 2009 numbers.
On a month-to-month basis, the port turned in double-digit increases in total container volume for each month from January to November, ending with an 8 percent increase in December 2010 the same period in 2009. The port moved a total of 62,733 loaded inbound TEUs in December, 2010, a 9.7 percent increase over the year-ago period, and 51,166 loaded outbound TEUs, a 4.9 percent increase for the month.