Maritime Cargo Comings and Goings 2024

The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA or the alliance) is one of the top container ports in North America. Cargo operations through the Seattle and Tacoma gateway have a significant impact on international trade and the local economy, providing jobs and revenue to Washington state — one of the most trade-dependent states in the country.

The NWSA produces an annual cargo trade report that highlights trade activity, including country, port, and commodity breakdowns, as well as profiles on the top 10 trading partners by total 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs).

• View the 2024 Annual Cargo Trade Report (PDF)

In 2024, the top trading partners by TEUs were:

1. China
2. Japan
3. Vietnam
4. South Korea
5. Taiwan
6. Thailand
7. Indonesia
8. Malaysia
9. India
10. Canada

When ranked by dollar value, the top trading partners were:

1. China
2. Japan
3. South Korea
4. Vietnam
5. Taiwan
6. Thailand
7. Indonesia
8. Malaysia
9. Australia
10. India

Here is a summary of NWSA 2024 volumes:

TEUs

NWSA handled 3.3 million TEUs in 2024, up 12.3% from 2023’s 3 million TEUs. Strong imports were driven by shippers moving cargo ahead of possible tariffs. In addition, shippers diverted cargo to the West Coast due to uncertainty around the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) contract negotiations. Uncertainty around contract negotiations concerning Canadian railroads also contributed to diverted cargo.

Global reach

NWSA has regular weekly services with key markets in Asia, Europe, Central and South America, and Oceania, and the products from our region reach markets all over the world. Asia and Pacific make up most of the volume through the NWSA gateway, accounting for 92.2% of trade by TEUs in 2024.

Strong trade relationships 

Washington state is one of the most trade-dependent states in the nation and has established strong trade relationships with many other countries. These top countries import and export valuable merchandise and commodities through the NWSA gateway.

Top five import trading partners by TEUs 

• China – 677,071 TEUs
• Vietnam – 184,457 TEUs 
• Japan – 86,184 TEUs 
• South Korea – 78,823 TEUs 
• Taiwan – 55,555 TEUs

Fun fact: In 2017, Vietnam was the fifth largest source of goods via the NWSA. Now, the Southeast Asia market is a growing region for the gateway, with three direct services between Vietnam and the PNW.

Top five export trading partners by TEUs 

• Japan – 136,847 TEUs 
• China – 96,411 TEUs 
• South Korea – 85,620 TEUs 
• Taiwan – 62,289 TEUs 
• Thailand – 26,007 TEUs

Fun fact: Frozen potato products (French fries) remain a top commodity to Japan, our number one export destination by TEUs.

Reaching the world

The following global ports send and receive the highest volume of cargo handled by the NWSA.

Top five origin ports by TEUs: 

• Yantian, China – 180,249 TEUs 
• Shanghai, China – 158,655 TEUs 
• Ningbo, China – 126,628 TEUs 
• Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – 94,838 TEUs 
• Busan, South Korea – 76,524 TEUs

Fun fact: Our top three origin ports are in China.

Top five destination ports by TEUs:

• Tokyo, Japan – 43,534 TEUs 
• Busan, South Korea – 32,573 TEUs 
• Gwangyang, South Korea – 30,109 TEUs 
• Kaohsiung, Taiwan – 29,399 TEUs 
• Shanghai, China – 20,562 TEUs

Fun fact: Two of the top five destination ports are in South Korea.

Top five commodities  

Here are the types of commodities moved through NWSA container terminals in 2024 by TEUs and vessel value.

Export gateway of choice

The NWSA is the leading U.S. export gateway for the following by TEUs:  
hay and forage:

• apples
• frozen potato products (French fries)
• fresh potatoes
• legumes (peas, beans, and lentils)
• grass feed
• hops and hop extract
• cherries

In addition, the NWSA is the nation’s second-largest gateway for containerized refrigerated (reefer) exports. Top reefer exports include:

• frozen potato products (French fries)
• apples
• fish
• fresh potatoes
• pork
• dairy products
• vegetables
• beef

Gateway to Alaska and Hawaii

While most cargo is international, the NWSA is also the gateway to Alaska and Hawaii. In 2024, 21.9% of cargo was domestic. NWSA domestic terminals handle more than 80% of containerized ocean shipments between Alaska and the lower 48 states.

Washington agriculture

As has been noted in past posts, agricultural products are a huge part of the NWSA’s export volumes. The Port of Seattle recognizes that our state would never be an agricultural leader without the contributions of migrant farm workers and partners.

• Meet some of those leaders in the film Trabajo: On their Shoulders (video)

The Washington State Department of Agriculture produces graphics that tell the story well.

Source: Washington State Department of Agriculture

Washington state is a top producer for many agricultural commodities: 

Source: Washington State Department of Agriculture

Breakbulk and autos

The NWSA provides a range of services like shipping breakbulk, project cargo, heavy lift cargo, and autos — including helicopters — with regularly scheduled services to and from Asia, Europe, and Oceania, and by transshipment to anywhere in the world.  

In 2024, the alliance handled 402,681 metric tons of breakbulk. Breakbulk metric tons were down 11.2%. High interest rates had an impact on agricultural, mining, and construction equipment sales. 

After a record-breaking 2023, auto units were down 0.3% in 2024.

If you are a watcher of Seattle’s working waterfront, you may have noticed auto vessels calling at Terminal 46. Read about Terminal 46’s auto breakbulk cargo service

Vessel calls

You have probably heard the phrase “big-ship ready” a lot. It’s more than just a buzzword. The NWSA has been proactively planning and developing terminal improvements to remain competitive in the changing global shipping industry. That includes working with tenants to make major capital improvements to marine terminal facilities to meet the demand of larger vessels. In early March 2025, Terminal 5 in Seattle (North) Harbor welcomed the 16,000 TEU MSC Ilenia, the largest container vessel to call at the terminal to date.

Phase 2 of Terminal 5 was completed in Q1 2024. 

Fun fact: The largest vessel handled in the gateway is the 17,859 TEU CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin, which called at Terminal 18 in the Seattle (North) Harbor in 2016.

Summary

• 3.3 million TEUs carried 24 million metric tons of containerized cargo in 2024
• Most of this cargo was international, though 730,488 TEUs were shipped to and from Alaska and Hawaii
• Domestic terminals handle more than 80% of containerized shipments between Alaska and the lower 48 states
• Fourteen international container carriers provide regular weekly services to key markets in Asia, Europe, Central and South America, and Oceania
• Sixteen regularly scheduled liner services connect cargo to over 40 direct international ports of call
• Seven breakbulk and roll on /roll off carriers offer regular service through Puget Sound with service to markets around the globe
• Four domestic carriers provide regular weekly services to Alaska and Hawaii
• A study released in 2019 highlighted NWSA’s economic impact (both indirect and induced): a total of 58,400 jobs, over $4 billion in labor income, and almost $12.4 billion in business output
  • Read about the economic impact study
  • An updated economic impact study will be released soon!
• 40% of the jobs in Washington state are tied to trade

About The Northwest Seaport Alliance

The Northwest Seaport Alliance is a marine cargo operating partnership between the Port of Seattle and Port of Tacoma and a leading container gateway in North America. Under a port development authority, the NWSA manages the container, breakbulk, auto, and some bulk terminals in Seattle and Tacoma.