The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) — composed of seaports of Seattle and Tacoma — reported that it handled record-breaking volumes for the month of May, the highest ever in its history. 

In a statement the combined ports said handling a total of 333,026 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) for the month, growing 38.4% compared to May 2020.

Full imports, which also set a record for the month, increased 54.1%, while full exports increased 4.9%. 

Year-to-date volumes improved 18.7% to 1,515,894 TEUs, with full imports growing 31.7% and full exports declining 9.6% at the gateways, which is also the United States' third largest cargo port by container volume.

NWSA noted that it recently received four ZPMC super-post Panamax cranes to Terminal 5 in the Seattle Harbor — which, at 316 feet tall and a 240-foot outreach, are considered among the largest cranes on the West Coast.

The ports said phase one of the two-phase modernization project will be completed in early 2022.

"At full completion, the 185-acre terminal will service the largest vessels in the transpacific trade and increase opportunities for international import and export volumes through the gateway," it said.

Meanwhile, domestic volumes at the ports grew 9.9% year-on-year. Alaska volumes saw a 7.3% increase while Hawaii volumes grew 21.4%. 

Breakbulk cargo volumes grew 17.7% for 138,904 metric tons in May compared to the same month in 2020. Auto volumes were 76,233 units, also up 27% year-on-year.