NWSA YTD TEU volumes down 2.9%
The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) experienced a notable decrease in container volume in October 2025, with a total of 233,927 TEUs passing through the gateway. This represents a 14.4% decline compared to October 2024. The ongoing impact of tariffs continues to dampen demand, and the year-over-year comparisons were further skewed by an unusually high volume of cargo from Canada in 2024, a result of labor disruptions at that time.
Delving deeper into international trade, full imports saw a significant drop of 25.2% in October 2025, while full exports demonstrated resilience with a 5.4% increase during the same period.
Cumulatively, year-to-date (YTD) container volumes stand at 2,665,144 TEUs, marking a 2.9% decrease. This overall trend is reflected in the full import figures, which are down 7.6% YTD, and full exports, which have slipped by 2.2%.
In significant infrastructure developments, the Port of Seattle, acting on behalf of the NWSA, has awarded the contract for the Terminal 18 shore power project. Construction is slated to commence in the second quarter of 2026 and is expected to conclude in late 2027. Upon completion, Terminal 18 will become the third international cargo terminal in Washington to be equipped with shore power capabilities, joining Terminal 5 (which became operational in 2023) and Husky Terminal (which transitioned in 2025). The NWSA maintains its ambitious goal of outfitting all its international terminals with shore power by 2030, with Washington United Terminal being the next facility slated for this upgrade. It’s worth noting that TOTE Maritime Alaska’s terminal has already benefited from shore power since 2010.
On the domestic front, container volumes have shown positive momentum, with a 1.2% rise year-to-date. Volumes from Alaska have remained stable, while those from Hawaii have seen a healthy increase of 7.8%.
Examining other cargo segments:
* **Breakbulk:** YTD volumes in this sector have declined by 18.1% to 282,123 metric tons, attributed to the pressure of high interest rates and tariffs.
* **Automobiles:** The auto sector has experienced a 21.8% YTD decrease in volume, totaling 229,466 units. This downturn is largely driven by a nationwide slowdown in auto sales, exacerbated by elevated interest rates and tariffs.