Sea-Tac gears up to capture US Mid-west cargo

One port that hopes to take advantage of any delays with the Port of Vancouver (BC) RBT2 project, to target US discretionary cargo, is the Port of Seattle – and its new terminal development which sits is at the heart of its ambitions.

The Terminal 5 Modernisation Programme in Seattle was first launched back in 2016, long before the phrase “COVID-19” ever came to the fore. It was a project that had a simple aim – to combine existing smaller terminals to boost capacity and service the largest ships serving the Transpacific trades.

The industry has moved on since this project first gained traction. In 2016, the largest Transpacific ships were then 14,000TEU, whereas now vessels above 18,000TEU are at the upper end of the size classification in Transpacific service.

The Terminal 5 modernisation plan provides for a one million TEU per annum terminal with capabilities to receive 2 x 18,000TEU ships employing four new Super Post-Panamax cranes, on-dock rail and 1500 reefer plugs. Phase two of the Modernization Program is underway now with operations in the south berth expected to start in mid-2023.

The new terminal’s shore power capability will reduce vessel emissions when at berth with vessels able to plug into the electrical grid and utilise cleaner energy rather than burning fuel. This will reduce negative impacts to surrounding near-port communities and help achieve emission reduction targets. Green box ticked!

Total container volume growth through Seattle-Tacoma has fluctuated in recent times but overall growth from the 2000 figure of almost 2.86 million TEU to the 2021 total of almost 3.70 million TEU is just 1.3 per cent per annum. This is much lower than competing regional ports, so pressure on the new infrastructure exists.

Improving on-dock intermodal rail facilities is a key component of the project. In particular, this is designed to complement Seattle-Tacoma seeking to increase Asian cargo moving to the large US Mid-west consuming hinterlands. The initiative places the facility in direct competition with both Prince Rupert and Vancouver (BC) in western Canada, but also the massive San Pedro complex of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

The facility plans to directly load containers to railcars instead of using trucks to move off-terminal and then seek rail access. This is a strategy used to good effect by both Prince Rupert and the Port Vancouver (BC).

On the face of it, Seattle’s T5 facilities now have the marine capabilities to be a stronger competitor for US discretionary cargo. Now it is the turn of the port’s intermodal rail service partners, Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) and Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), to deliver on their side of the service equation