After two years of rolling supply chain challenges, cargo tides have continued to evolve in 2022. For The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA), 2022 has been a year of prioritizing strategic investments and boosting resilience to scale port operations to meet the demands of the shipping industry. High import demand in 2020 and 2021 drove our gateway and partners to expand services, offering off-dock staging facilities and inland rail hubs to support export cargo movement and respond to increased volumes. In 2022, consumer demand waned and congestion at other points of the supply chain caused downstream effects, requiring the need to be nimble to respond to monthly fluctuations in cargo volumes.
The pandemic exposed the interconnections across the supply chain, which serves as both a vulnerability and strength of the system. Challenges surfacing at one point of the supply chain have quickly rippled across the system, yet this has led to an important recognition for the need of a national freight strategy. The attention given to port infrastructure and transportation investments has never been greater.
Additionally, this connectedness has invited new collaboration that is leading to a stronger supply chain of the future. Supply chain stakeholders in Seattle and Tacoma are working together to add needed flexibility and resiliency to their operations with a greater willingness to share data across the transportation system. We’ve put an emphasis on strategic IT investments to improve supply chain visibility and our new online appointment system is poised to improve both operational efficiency and local environmental impacts.
Looking forward, reducing the carbon footprint of the supply chain will grow as priority and the NWSA remains dedicated to investing in sustainability efforts and partnering to promote cleaner, more environmentally friendly operations in our harbors. Through strong partnerships, we are building world-class infrastructure, enhancing freight movement, and facilitating trade relationships that support the growth and strength of our nation’s economy.