March 18 - Container volumes through the Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) jumped 21 percent year-on-year in February, while breakbulk volumes declined 40 percent compared with the same period in 2015.
The alliance - which comprises the ports of Seattle and Tacoma - said that auto imports and breakbulk cargo volumes declined due to seasonal volume fluctuations and fewer vessel calls.
Auto imports fell by 11 percent, while breakbulk volumes dropped to 25,973 tonnes. NWSA expects both segments to grow in 2016.
Meanwhile, containerised imports and exports both grew 31 percent year-on-year, with an overall 27 percent gain in international volumes reflecting the impact of the two port's collaboration agreement last year.
