THE Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA), a partnership between the ports of Tacoma and Seattle, reported a total container volume of 264,869 TEU for January, marking a 25.4 per cent increase compared to January 2024.

The growth reflects strong market demand, with January volumes surpassing the five-year average, driven by high vessel schedule reliability and increased cargo activity, according to NWSA's statement released on February 25.

International container volumes, including both imports and exports, fuelled the surge, with full international imports rising 34.7 per cent - the 11th consecutive month of growth - and standing 9.5 per cent above NWSA's five-year January average.

Full international exports grew by 4.5 per cent, exceeding the five-year average by 5.7 per cent.

Domestic container volumes increased by 5.5 per cent, with Alaska seeing a 2.4 per cent rise and Hawaii experiencing a significant 24.6 per cent jump, as reported by St Petersburg's PortNews.

NWSA's January performance aligns with its 2024 annual throughput of 3,340,733 TEU, up 12.3 per cent from 2023, driven by a 20 per cent rise in full imports and an 8 per cent increase in full exports.

NWSA's performance contrasts with flat growth at some East Coast ports, with Los Angeles reporting a 2.1 per cent decline to 781,526 TEU in January 2025, while Long Beach saw a 4.5 per cent drop to 659,912 TEU, attributed to Lunar New Year slowdowns.