Northwest ports vie to recapture competitive edge amid sluggish recovery
Since most of the cargo that passes through Seattle-area ports is bound for other markets, shippers have a lot of discretion in whether they stop in here or pass by.
“So we have to do a lot of selling to try and get things back,” says Deanna Keller, a commissioner for the Port of Tacoma.
Shipping container traffic in 2022 through the ports of Seattle and Tacoma was down about 10.6% from 2019 levels. It has been an arduous climb back from the economic wallop delivered by the pandemic, and the sluggish recovery is expected to continue through this year.
Port of Seattle Commission President Sam Cho says inflation, high interest rates and more subdued consumer behavior have all eaten away at trade.
https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2023/07/07/northwest-ports-try-to-recapture-competitive.html