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April 30, 2009
Port commissioners from Seattle and Tacoma met today to discuss the economic and competitive challenges facing the Pacific Northwest. The joint meeting highlighted strategies to position the region for continued success as a gateway for global trade. The two ports are responsible for more than 300,000 jobs in Washington and generate more than $1 billion in state and local tax revenues.
The two ports first met jointly just over a year ago, identifying four areas of collaboration: regional promotion, transportation infrastructure, environmental issues, and port security. In March, Seattle CEO Tay Yoshitani and Tacoma Executive Director Tim Farrell traveled together to Washington, D.C., sharing with congressional leaders the need to fund road and rail projects throughout the state, and environmental programs in Puget Sound.
“The ports of Seattle and Tacoma have come together to protect jobs by ensuring cargo continues coming into Puget Sound, rather than going to British Columbia or through an expanded Panama Canal,” said Seattle Commission President Bill Bryant.
“As our friends and neighbors wrestle with this difficult economy, the jobs that our ports create become even more significant,” said Tacoma Commission President Clare Petrich. “Tacoma and Seattle are taking the initiative to work together to make us both more efficient and competitive when the world markets recover.”
The two ports plan to meet again in late 2009.
The Port of Seattle operates several major facilities in King County, supporting nearly 200,000 jobs in the Puget Sound region and generate more than $17 billion in business revenue and $867 million in state and local taxes annually. Port facilities include the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, serving millions of passengers annually, and a seaport that supports a thriving cruise industry, commercial and recreational marinas, and three container terminals.
The Port of Tacoma is an economic engine for south Puget Sound, with more than 43,000 family-wage jobs in Pierce County and 113,000 jobs across Washington state connected to Port activities. A major gateway to Asia and Alaska, the Port of Tacoma is among the largest container ports in North America, handling more than $36 billion in annual trade and almost 2 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent container units). The Port is also a major center for bulk, breakbulk and project/heavy-lift cargoes, as well as automobiles and trucks.