Reflecting the global recession and its effects on U.S. consumer demand and shipping, cargo volumes fell at the Port of Tacoma in 2008.

From 2002 through 2006, Tacoma set successive container cargo records, with volumes growing from 1.5 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent container units) to 2.1 million TEUs. In 2007, the Port’s container volume fell to 1.92 million TEUs, and in 2008, the volumes fell 3.3 percent to 1.86 million TEUs.

Despite this drop, the Port of Tacoma fared better than other U.S. West Coast ports, which saw an average container cargo decline of 8.78 percent.

The Port of Tacoma’s 2008 cargo volumes were:

Total Tonnage — 20.3 million short tons (up 3.6 percent)

Containerized Cargo — 1.86 million TEUs (down 3.3 percent)

Breakbulk Cargo — 118,523 short tons (down 4.1 percent)

Autos — 159,079 units (down 9.1 percent)

Intermodal Lifts — 407,993 (down 15.2 percent)

Grain — 6.79 million short tons (up 13.6 percent)

While cargo volumes declined in 2008, the Port closed 2008 with $99.1 million in operating revenue — a 1.3 percent increase over 2007 performance.