The Port of Tacoma is governed by a five-member board of commissioners who are elected for four-year terms by the voters of Pierce County, Washington. The Port of Tacoma Board of Commissioners sets policy and approves all major expenditures for the port. The Port of Tacoma is an independent corporation in the City of Tacoma and a special-purpose district under Washington State law.
Port of Tacoma activities support 43 thousand jobs in Pierce County and 113 thousand in the State of Washington. Each year, the Port of Tacoma contributes over $90 million in state and local taxes. As an environmental steward, the Port of Tacoma has cleaned up 420 acres of contaminated land, restored over 80 acres of fish and wildlife habitat, and safeguarded around 70 acres of open space buffer between residential areas and industrial activities.
The Port of Tacoma is located on the natural deep-water harbor of Commencement Bay off south Puget Sound on the United States' Pacific Rim. The Port of Tacoma covers some 970 hectares of Tacoma Tideflats land. The Port of Tacoma has operated since 1918 and is one of the busiest North American container ports. The Port of Tacoma is an important center for cargoes that include containers, automobiles, bulk, breakbulk, and heavy-lift cargoes. Port of Tacoma facilities include marine terminals and docks, cargo-handling equipment, on-dock rail service, and industrial property with warehouses and amenities.
Over 70% of the international container cargo that moves through the Port of Tacoma originates from or is destined for North America's central and eastern regions. The Port of Tacoma handles almost all (80%) of the marine cargo traveling between the United States' mainland continent and the State of Alaska. With a natural deep-water harbor, services from two major railroads, and plentiful land available for expansion, the Port of Tacoma is an increasingly attractive portal for international trade.
In 2011, the Port of Tacoma supported more than one thousand vessels carrying 17.3 million tons of cargo including 1.5 million TEUs of containerized cargo. The Port of Tacoma handled 5.9 million tons of grain, almost 154.4 thousand tons of breakbulk cargo, and over 162.4 thousand auto units in 2011. The value of cargoes handled by the Port of Tacoma reached $37.5 billion in trade ($34.5 billion international and $3 billion domestic). Based on the value of trade, China/Hong Kong ($14.9 billion) and Japan ($10.6 billion) were the leading trade partners with the Port of Tacoma in 2011. Other important partners in international trade included South Korea, Taiwan, Canada, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. The value of exports in 2011 was $7.6 billion, and imports represented a value of $26.9 billion in 2011.
In 2011, the major exports leaving the Port of Tacoma were grains ($1.2 billion) and cereals ($1.1 billion). Other important exports were meat and meat products; iron and steel; industrial machinery; wood and wood products; prepared fruit, nuts, and vegetables; paper and paper products; vehicles and parts; and inorganic chemicals. The leading import commodities entering the Port of Tacoma in 2011 were vehicles and parts ($5 billion), industrial machinery ($4.7 billion), and electronics ($4.2 billion). Other important imported commodities entering the Port of Tacoma in 2011 were toys and sports equipment, footwear, furniture and bedding, iron and steel products, plastics, optical and medical equipment, and apparel.
Commencement Bay is a natural deep-water harbor with an average depth of 183 meters (600 feet). The primary waterways for the Port of Tacoma are the Blair and Sitcum. No dredging is required to maintain the depth of 15.5 meters (51 feet) MLLW for the Blair and Sitcum Waterways. The Port of Tacoma's container terminals cover a total area of 2.6 thousand hectares and contain 11 deep-water berths equipped with 24 container cranes. The Port of Tacoma's non-container terminals include the Marshall Avenue Auto Facility, the grain terminal owned by the Tacoma Export Marketing Company, and two breakbulk terminals. The Tacoma Rail is a shortline service for the Port of Tacoma that links the docks with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) and Union Pacific railroads.
- Container terminals
The Port of Tacoma's customers include four international container carriers and two domestic carriers that sail between the Port of Tacoma and Alaska. The international container carriers offer regular service to ports in Asia and the world. The Port of Tacoma has six container terminals.
APM Terminals operates a terminal on the Sitcum Waterway that supports vessels traveling between the Port of Tacoma and Alaska (twice a week) and Hawaii and Guam (once a week). Horizon Lines is the major carrier using the Port of Tacoma's APM Terminal. With 875 reefer plugs, the terminal covers 53 hectares and contains two berths with total berthing distance of 671 meters (2200 feet) with alongside depth of 15.5 meters (51 feet) MLLW. The terminal is equipped with five container cranes (four with 18-container reach and one with 14-container reach). The truck gate at this Port of Tacoma has eight inbound lanes, six outbound lanes, and six scales. Adjacent to the pier is the South Intermodal Yard which is served by both the BNSF and Union Pacific railroads. The Port of Tacoma's APM Terminal is less than five kilometers (three miles) from Interstate Highway 5 (I-5), State Route 509 (SR-509), and US Highway 99 (US-99). It is also within 48 kilometers (30 miles) of Interstate Highway 90 (I-90) via I-5 and State Route 18 (SR-18).
The Port of Tacoma's Husky Terminal is located on the Blair Waterway. It handles containers for Hanjin, Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL), and the Yang Ming Line. "K" Line vessels call at the terminal, linking the Port of Tacoma to Asia. The terminal operator is Husky Terminal and Stevedoring Inc. With 600 reefer plugs, the Husky Terminal in the Port of Tacoma covers 37.6 hectares and contains two berths with total berthing distance of 822.9 meters (2700 feet) with alongside depth of 15.5 meters (51 feet) MLLW. The terminal is equipped with four container cranes (one with 18-container reach, one with 17-container reach, and two with 16-container reach). The truck gate at the Port of Tacoma's Husky Terminal has seven inbound lanes with six inbound sales and four outbound lanes with one outbound scale. The Husky Terminal has on-dock access to the North Intermodal Yard which is served by the BNSF and Union Pacific railroads. The Port of Tacoma's Husky Terminal is less than five kilometers (three miles) from I-5, SR-509, and US-99. It is also within 48 kilometers (30 miles) of I- 90 via I-5 and SR-18.
The Yang Ming Line calls at the Port of Tacoma's Olympic Container Terminal (OCT) located on the Sitcum Waterway. Operated by Ports America, the Olympic Container Terminal also handles cargo for Hanjin, COSCO, and "K" Line. With 300 reefer plugs, the Olympic Container Terminal in the Port of Tacoma covers 22 hectares and has one berth with berthing distance of 335 meters (1100 feet) with alongside depth of 15.5 meters (51 feet) MLLW. The OCT is equipped with three 14-container reach and one 13-container reach cranes. The OCT Truck Gate has five inbound lanes, two outbound lanes, and two scales. This Port of Tacoma terminal has on-dock access to the North Intermodal Yard. The terminal is less than five kilometers (three miles) from I-5, SR-509, and US-99, and it is within 48 kilometers (30 miles) of I- 90 via I-5 and SR-18.
The Pierce County Terminal on the Port of Tacoma's Blair Waterway serves the Evergreen Line with direct service between the Port of Tacoma and Asia. Operated by Ports America, the Pierce County Terminal covers 57.1 hectares and has two berths with total berthing distance of 689 meters (2260 feet) with alongside depth of 15.5 meters (51 feet). With 764 reefer plugs, the Port of Tacoma's Pierce County Terminal is equipped with seven container cranes with 23-container reach. The truck gate has ten inbound lanes, six outbound lanes, and six scales. The terminal has on-dock access to the PCT Intermodal Yard which is served by the BNSF Railway. The Pierce County Terminal in the Port of Tacoma is less than 1.6 kilometers (one mile) from I-5, SR-509, and US-99. It is within 48 kilometers (30 miles) of I- 90 via I-5 and SR-18.
Totem Ocean Trailer Express (TOTE) is the operator for the TOTE Terminal in the Port of Tacoma. Located on the Blair Waterway, the TOTE Terminal serves TOTE's roll-on/roll-off vessels traveling between ports in Alaska and the Port of Tacoma. In 2010, the terminal was equipped with shore power so that TOTE ships would have electricity while docked. With 140 reefer plugs, the Port of Tacoma's TOTE Terminal covers 19 hectares and has two dolphin piers, one an operational berth and one a lay-up berth. The roll-on/roll-off operation employs three ramps on each vessel to move vehicles and chassis trailers between ship and terminal. The truck gate at the TOTE Terminal has five inbound lanes, two outbound lanes, and four scales. The TOTE Terminal in the Port of Tacoma is less than 1.6 kilometers (one mile) from I-5, SR-509, and US-99. It is within 48 kilometers (30 miles) of I- 90 via I-5 and SR-18.
The Port of Tacoma's Washington United Terminal (WUT) is located on the Blair Waterway. Due to lack of use, the WUT's back exit has been closed. The Washington United Terminal in the Port of Tacoma serves several steamship lines: Hyundai, MOL, Hapag-Lloyd, APL, Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) Line, ZIM, OOCL, Hamburg Sud, and US Lines. This Port of Tacoma terminal covers an area of 42.5 hectares and has two berths with total berthing distance of 792.5 meters (2600 feet) with alongside depth of 15.5 meters (51 feet) MLLW. The Washington United Terminal is equipped with 390 reefer plugs and six container cranes (four with 18-container reach, two with 24-container reach and capacity to lift 100-tons at full outreach). The truck gate at the Washington United Terminal has nine inbound lanes with over-sized scales, four outbound lanes, and two reversible lanes. The WUT has on-dock access to the Hyundai Intermodal Yard which is served by the BNSF and Union Pacific railroads. The WUT in the Port of Tacoma is less than 1.6 kilometers (one mile) from I-5, SR-509, and US-99. It is within 48 kilometers (30 miles) of I- 90 via I-5 and SR-18.
In September 2011, the Ports of Tacoma and Anchorage celebrated 25 years of a partnership that makes the Port of Tacoma the "Gateway to Alaska." Two domestic shipping lines serve Alaska from the Port of Tacoma. Both Horizon Line and TOTE have sailings between the Port of Tacoma and Alaska two times per week, moving almost $3 billion in goods each year, and Alaska is the Port of Tacoma's fourth largest trading partner. Due to this busy traffic, several Alaska-related businesses have distribution centers and warehouses in the Port of Tacoma area.
- Bulk and breakbulk terminals
With modern facilities, ample transportation connections, and a highly-skilled workforce, the Port of Tacoma is ideally suited for breakbulk, heavy-lift, and project cargoes. The Port of Tacoma is served by regularly-scheduled service from Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK RO/RO), Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, and World Logistics Service. The Port of Tacoma is used by exporters in the US Midwest to move large volumes of grain including corn and soybeans. Vessels call at the port and at privately-owned facilities in the port area to handle a variety of bulk cargoes including salt, scrap metal, logs, lime, tallow, and petroleum. The Port of Tacoma is home to two breakbulk terminals and two bulk terminals.
Terminal 7 in the Port of Tacoma handles breakbulk cargoes at Berths A, B, C, and D. The Port of Tacoma operates Terminal 7. The terminal covers eight hectares and has berthing distance of 824 meters (2700 feet) with alongside depth of 15.5 meters (51 feet). Terminal 7 in the Port of Tacoma has four container cranes at Berths C and D with 14-container reach, and there is a 2.3-acre warehouse dockside. The terminal is served by two on-dock rail spurs with capability to load boxcars. This Port of Tacoma has easy access to the North Intermodal Yard which is served by the BNSF and Union Pacific railroads. Terminal 7 in the Port of Tacoma is less than five kilometers (three mile) from I-5, SR-509, and US-99.
The East Blair One (EB1) Terminal also handles breakbulk cargoes. Covering 21 acres, the East Blair One terminal has a 365.8-meter (1200-foot) wharf with alongside depth of 15.5 meters (51 feet) MLLW. The terminal has a dockside area that is paved, lighted, and fenced and includes a heavy-lift area. The East Blair One terminal in the Port of Tacoma is less than five kilometers (three mile) from I-5, SR-509, and US-99.
The Port of Tacoma's Grain Terminal is operated by TEMCO Cargill. Covering an area of four hectares, the Grain Terminal has elevator capacity for 105.5 thousand kiloliters (three million bushels) of grain. The dolphin pier at the Grain Terminal has a depth of 22.3 meters (73 feet) MLLW. The terminal has capacity to store 300 rail cars, and it has direct access to the BNSF and Union Pacific railroads.
The Log Export Terminal in the Port of Tacoma covers 16 hectares and has berthing distance of 305 meters (1000 feet) with alongside depths from 10 to 12 meters (35 to 40 feet) MLLW. The Log Export Terminal in the Port of Tacoma is less than five kilometers (three mile) from I-5, SR-509, and US-99.
- Ro/Ro terminals
The Port of Tacoma has been a port-of-entry for the automotive industry for over 30 years, and nine major manufacturers of automobiles use the port: GM, Ford, Sterling, Isuzu, Kia, Mazda, Suzuki, Mistsubishi, and Mitsubishi Fuso. Two terminals support the automobile traffic in the Port of Tacoma.
The Marshall Avenue Auto Facility is operated by Auto Warehousing Company. The facility covers over 58 hectares and contains a processing shop, a body shop, a car wash, and a fuel island. The truck yard at this Port of Tacoma terminal has capacity for over 1500 vehicles at one time, and there are 72 auto racks that can be used in the rail load-out area. The Tacoma Rail shoreline connects the Marshall Avenue Auto Facility to the BNSF and Union Pacific railroads. The primary berths for the auto facility are at the Blair Dock and at Terminal 7's Berths A and B. The Washington United, Pierce County, and Husky Terminals also provide supporting berths for automotive cargoes in the Port of Tacoma.
The Blair Terminal supports roll-on/roll-off cargoes in the Port of Tacoma with a 183-meter (600-foot) berth with alongside depth of 15.5 meters (51 feet). Adjacent to the terminal are five acres of paved, secure storage yards. The Blair Terminal in the Port of Tacoma is less than five kilometers (three mile) from I-5, SR-509, and US-99.
- Intermodal facilities
The Port of Tacoma has four intermodal rail yards that are at or near the docks. These rail yards are served by the BNSF and Union Pacific railroads, and the Tacoma Rail switching and terminal rail service links the terminals and docks to the nationwide railroads. In addition, three highway interchanges link the Port of Tacoma to I-5.
The Hyundai Intermodal Yard in the Port of Tacoma is located at and operated by Washington United Terminals. Hyundai Merchant Marine is the main customer for the terminal which has 5.1 kilometers (3.2 miles) of working track and capacity for 52 double-stack container rail cars. The yard is equipped with four reach-stacker lift trucks.
The Port of Tacoma's North Intermodal Yard is located between the Husky Terminal and Terminal 7, and containers can be moved between the terminals and the yard without leaving Port of Tacoma property or traveling on public rights-of-way. The Northern Intermodal Yard is operated by the Port of Tacoma. Its primary customers are "K" Line, Yang Ming, COSCO, and Hanjin. This Port of Tacoma intermodal yard has 6.9 kilometers (4.3 miles) of working rail tracks and capacity for about 76 double-stack container rail cars. The yard is equipped with 29 three-container-high straddle carriers.
The Pierce County Intermodal Yard in the Port of Tacoma is operated by Ports America, and its primary customer is the Evergreen Line. The Pierce County yard has 7.2 kilometers (4.5 miles) of working track and capacity for 78 double-stack container rail cars. The yard is equipped with several straddle carriers.
The Port of Tacoma's South Intermodal Yard (Tac-Sim) is adjacent to the APM Terminal and is operated for the Port of Tacoma by Pacific Rail Services. Primary customers for the South Intermodal Yard are the Union Pacific Railroad Domestic Intermodal Service and Horizon Lines. Tac-Sim has four ramp tracks with total length of 2635 meters (8645 feet) and seven interchange tracks with total length of 2640 meters (8662 feet). The yard has 30 double-stack container rail cars on the ramp tracks and 37 double-stack container rail cars on the interchange tracks. The yard is equipped with three top-pick machines.
The Port of Tacoma uses The Business Exchange, a web-based application, to share data on the arrival and departure of trains and vessels. The password-protected system allows Port of Tacoma users to track cargo movements within the Port of Tacoma from anywhere in the world at any time.
- Port services
There are 40 trans-load warehouses and distribution centers within 20 minutes of Port of Tacoma terminals. These facilities offer a range of logistics services, facility characteristics, and specialized equipment that give the Port of Tacoma a competitive edge. There are two US Customs examination stations and many facilities offering on-site inspections by the United States Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration within the Port of Tacoma.
There is also a heavy-haul corridor designated within the Port of Tacoma to facilitate the movement of overweight containerized industrial and agricultural commodities being moved between trans-load facilities and port terminals. The Tac-Sim intermodal yard is located within the Port of Tacoma's industrial zone and provides import/export services between the Pacific Northwest region, the US Midwest, East Coast, and markets in Southern California. The industrial-zoned land in the Port of Tacoma is located outside the metropolitan area and within 3.2 kilometers (two miles) of Interstate Highway 5, giving it ready access to an uncongested highway network.
There is ample commercial and industrial real estate in the Port of Tacoma area and at the center of the trans-load and distribution centers, giving prospective businesses ample opportunities to grow. The Port of Tacoma industrial area contains more than 970 hectares with convenient access to rail and road connections and to a major segment of United States consumer markets. Most of the terminals have on-dock rail service and easy access to highways.
The Port of Tacoma operates Foreign Trade Zone 86, one of the busiest such areas on the West Coast of the United States. The Foreign Trade Zone offers flexible options for shipping, storing, and handling goods for companies importing and exporting cargoes in the Port of Tacoma.
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