Northwest Port ReviewAn Overview of the Ports of Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, Vancouver, and Prince Rupert

Prepared By: Michael SchwabPrepared For: Dr. Chris ClottTransportation Carrier ManagementThe California Maritime AcademyMarch 15, 2009

Port of Prince Rupert

Kaien Island in Western British Columbia

Port of Prince Rupert• Historically for lumber and mining

industries • Recently seen high demand for

containers

Port of Prince Rupert

• Facilitates the shortest route between Chicago and Shanghai

• Closest North American Port to key Asian Ports

• Contracts with CN Rail

Port of Prince Rupert• Container, cruise, coal, and grain

terminals • Container terminal is 59 acres • First dedicated intermodal (ship to

rail) container terminal in North America with capacity to move 500,000 TEUs per year

Port of Vancouver

Vancouver, Southern British Columbia

Port of Vancouver• Canada’s largest ice-free deep water

port • Cargoes moving through the Port of

Vancouver include:• Grain• Sulfur• Coal• Petrochemicals• Potash• Steel• Forest products• Containers

Port of Vancouver• 4th largest tonnage port in North

America • Offers 28 major marine cargo

terminals and three Class 1 railroads

Port of Vancouver• Total impacts of ongoing operations

at Port of Vancouver across Canada are:

• 129,500 jobs • $10.5 billion in Gross Domestic

Product • $22 billion in economic output • $6.1 billion in wages

Port of Seattle

Seattle, Northwest Washington

Port of Seattle• Closer to Asia than any major U.S.

port• Seaport facilities encompass more

than 1,500 acres• Containers• Breakbulk

Port of Seattle• Plans to expand;

but current recession has paused plans

• “Green Initiative”• Competition from

Port of Tacoma

Port of Seattle• Teamed with BNSF to reduce emissions at

the port as well as increase efficiency• 4 wide-span, electric, rail-mounted gantry

cranes

Port of Tacoma

Tacoma, Northwest Washington

Port of Tacoma• Deep-water port in Southern Puget

Sound• Outstanding intermodal operations:

• 2 transcontinental railroads• I-5, I-90, SR-509, SR-167

Port of Tacoma• Major gateway to Asia and Alaska• 7th largest container port in North

America• 2 million TEU’s in 2007

Port of Tacoma• Main trading partners:

• China/Hong Kong ($13.06 billion)• Japan ($10.39 billion)• Alaska ($3.50 billion)

• Top Imports:• Machineries• Vehicles• Textiles

• Top Exports:• Grain• Meat• Aircraft Parts

Port of Portland

Portland, Northwest Oregon

Port of Portland• Located on Columbia River• Over 100 miles up-river from Pacific• Passes under multiple bridges• Multiple pilots needed (Bar and

River)

Port of Portland• Set away from the city of Portland

• Room for expansion• No city traffic• Less strict laws

• Low ship congestion• Low warehousing cost• Available containers

Port of Portland• Because of its location on the

Columbia, they must constantly dredge

• High concern for rain run-off• Portland focused on making port

“green”

Conclusion• Focus should be on intermodal• Northwest ports have location

advantage• Northwest passage opening and

Panama Canal is being widened

Questions?