The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) processed 253,532 TEUs in November, representing a 12.6 per cent decline year-on-year (YoY) but an 8.4 per cent increase compared with October.
International container volumes remained under pressure despite the month-on-month (MoM) recovery. Full imports fell 19.4 per cent compared with November 2024, although they rose 8.8 per cent from October 2025.
Full exports followed a similar trend, declining 16.9 per cent YoY while increasing 6.1 per cent MoM. On a year-to-date (YTD) basis, total container volumes reached 2,918,676 TEUs, down 3.9 per cent compared with the same period last year.
Within this total, full imports decreased 8.7 per cent, while full exports declined 3.8 per cent.
Alongside its November cargo update, the NWSA announced the winners of the first phase of its Voyage Consistency & On-Time Arrival Award Programme, an initiative designed to incentivise schedule reliability among international ocean carriers calling at the gateway.
First place was awarded to the Gemini Cooperation’s WC4 | TP5 service, operated by Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk. The service recorded zero void sailings and an average of eight hours ahead of proforma schedules.
Second place was secured by the Premier Alliance’s PN3 service, involving HMM, Ocean Network Express (ONE) and Yang Ming. Swire Shipping claimed third place with its Westwood service.
Domestic container volumes provided a comparatively stronger performance, increasing 2.5 per cent YTD compared with 2024. Volumes linked to Alaska rose 1.5 per cent, while Hawaii trades recorded a 7.7 per cent increase, reflecting continued demand in these markets.
Other cargo segments delivered mixed results. Breakbulk volumes increased 10.2 per cent MoM, but YTD tonnage totalled 303,162 metric tonnes, down 16.6 per cent, largely due to the impact of high interest rates and tariffs.
Automotive traffic also improved modestly in November, with auto units up 2.6 per cent from October, although YTD volumes of 249,251 units remained 20.3 per cent lower, reflecting subdued vehicle sales nationwide.
