The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) has released its Weekly Volumes & Metrics Report for the week ending August 22nd, revealing a significant increase in international imports while simultaneously noting a dip in truck transactions and stagnant vessel lifts. The report, issued by Kate Nolan, Manager of Communication & Outreach for the NWSA, highlights a mixed picture for port activity.

For the week ending August 22nd, the NWSA reported:

• High International Imports: A total of 17,182 containers were imported. This represents a substantial increase:

    ◦ 33.6% higher than the 2025 year-to-date average of 12,860 containers.

    ◦ 26.4% higher than the 2024 weekly average of 13,592 containers.

    ◦ 10.3% higher than the August 2024 weekly average of 15,581 containers. This surge indicates strong international cargo movement into the Seattle and Tacoma harbors.

• Dip in Truck Transactions: In contrast to the import surge, truck transactions saw a decrease, with 21,461 containers moving in/out of terminals via truck. This figure is notably lower:

    ◦ Down 10.9% compared to the 2025 year-to-date average of 24,078 transactions.

    ◦ Down 24.7% compared to the August 2024 weekly average of 28,500 transactions. The report suggests that this dip in truck transactions is likely influenced by the preceding week (ending August 15th), which experienced lighter cargo volume due to two larger regular vessel calls being voided. Truck transaction numbers typically lag slightly behind other metrics.

• Stagnant Vessel Lifts: Vessel lifts, which include empty container moves, totaled 31,536 for the week. While this figure was up from the previous week, it remained relatively stagnant year-over-year:

    ◦ 16.4% higher than the 2025 year-to-date average of 27,105.

    ◦ 1.8% higher than the August 2024 weekly average of 30,975.

The week ending August 22nd saw 14 vessel voyages, with one voided call. This follows a week ending August 15th that had 10 voyages, including two voided calls and one delayed arrival, contributing to a substantial dip in cargo for that period. For the upcoming weeks, the NWSA has reported 12 voyages for the week ending August 29th (with one void and one delayed arrival) and 10 voyages for the week ending September 5th (with two voids and one delayed arrival).

Previous weekly reports and the full vessel schedule are available on the NWSA website