Delivering sustainable, effective logistics solutions
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
PACIFIC NORTHWEST TRADE AND LOGISTICS
year, the company’ s Sumner facilities conducted more than 341,000 gate transactions and performed more than 235,000 yard moves, while orchestrating near 24 / 7 operations.
“ Our gateway right now is performing at a very high level, and what that means is the cargo owners, whether they’ re importers or exporters, can get their goods moving through our gateway to their ultimate destination very quickly, and speed to market matters,” Wolfe said.
McCarthy attributes this speed to three metrics: Truck turn time, dwell time for rail cars and ship efficiencies. The NWSA has reported a current average truck turn time of 77 minutes, 26.6 containers moved off of a ship per hour and rail car moved off a ship and onto an outbound train in 3.3. days.
Building off of those metrics, Wolfe added that the ports of Tacoma and Seattle lack the congestion that plagues many of the nation’ s larger ports. Vessels coming into harbor don’ t have to wait for a berth but can commence operations within eight hours.
“ Seattle, in particular, offers a more reliable and less-congested alternative compared to some of the larger gateways,” Krawczyk said, adding that the region’ s culture of innovation and collaboration further supports efficient supply chain execution.
Inland supply chains provide opportunity
Intermodal connectivity in the PNW only adds to the power of the region.
“ From the PNW, shippers can access key IPI [ inland point intermodal ] hubs like Chicago, Kansas City and Minneapolis with the same ease and speed as they could from Southern California— without the congestion,” Krawczyk said.“ That inland reach is a big reason why we’ ve continued to deepen our investment in this region.”
“ A well-established rail and highway network links the region to major inland markets like Chicago, Denver, Minot, and beyond— typically within five days,” Mayer added.
All major terminals feature on-dock rail infrastructure, so much of the cargo can quickly move inland via rail and out of town.
“ If you’ re an importer, and you know that you put your cargo on that vessel and it’ s going to ultimately get to the store shelf two or three days quicker than it would to another gateway, that matters. That’ s what drives decisions,” Wolfe said. NWSA has invested nearly $ 1 billion between Seattle and Tacoma to modernize and grow its harbor, as well as support the growth of inland rail hubs to reach new markets. The hubs are located across the United States, so cargo can be consolidated and moved both ways to increase exports.
“ We have partnerships with inland rail locations in Minot, ND; Pocatello, Idaho; Millersburg, Ore.; and most recently in eastern Washington, which is a heavy agricultural area,” McCarthy said.“ Those inland hubs then get a lot of agricultural products that are inland and get them out to our ports.”
Tri-Cities Intermodal( TCI) hopes
Delivering sustainable, effective logistics solutions
Uniquely positioned in the Pacific Northwest, Tri-Cities Intermodal LLC is the only intermodal facility with the capability to serve both eastbound and westbound shipments. As a critical access point to the North American Rail Network, Tri- Cities Intermodal connects the Pacific Northwest to domestic destinations across the US and international markets through the Northwest Seaport Alliance. Offering specialized solutions for domestic, refrigerated and international freight, its comprehensive services include transloading, container handling and secure storage options.
Tri-Cities Intermodal will transport your product to the ports of Seattle and Tacoma and anywhere in the US via rail through strategic partnerships with Columbia Rail and Union Pacific. By using rail, customers can cut transportation costs, reduce highway congestion, decrease emissions and simplify processes. Tri- Cities Intermodal is also supported by ocean carriers that serve the Pacific Northwest. By using rail, products will bypass the ports’ gates and be ready to ship using Tri-Cities’ efficient and sustainable transportation model.
Tri-Cities Intermodal is dedicated to providing dependable, efficient and timedefinite service— enabling shippers to streamline supply chains, expand market reach and reduce costs. The company is also committed to reducing highway congestion and greenhouse gas emissions.
Tri-Cities Intermodal improves transportation efficiency and decreases costs, ensuring your goods arrive on time. ■
Learn more at tricitiesintermodal. com or contact Teri Zimmerman at teri @ tricitiesintermodal. com.
60 Journal of Commerce | May 5, 2025 www. joc. com