Container volumes through the Port of Tacoma remained fairly steady last month, dipping 1.4 percent compared to May 2011. A total of 585,940 TEUs moved through the port last month, down from 589,344 in the same month last year.
Imports and exports actually grew month over month: the number of full inbound containers from overseas rose to 40,480 compared to 34,227 the same month last year, and the number of full outbound TEUs rose marginally to 28,643, compared with 28,093.
However, the number of domestic shipments – containers moved between Tacoma and Alaska and Hawaii – fell to 122,497 TEUs in May from 124,242 the same month in 2011. Despite the decline, domestic trade showed promise in May with its highest monthly volume so far during this calendar year.
For the year to date, Tacoma has moved 585,937 TEUs, a drop of 0.6 percent from the 589,340 shipped during the same five months in 2011. Also year to date, the number of foreign containers shipped through the port is up 1.7 percent so far, rising from 398,527 TEUs to 405,441. The number of domestic containers is down however, falling from 190,817 during the first five months of 2011 to 180,499 during the same period this year, a drop of 5.4 percent.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
