The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) collaborates with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) in order to preposition containers near the port terminals as an effort to improve service for shippers of US-grown agricultural commodities and ease port congestion.
Under this partnership, a 49-acre pop-up site at NWSA’s existing near-dock facility at Terminal 46 in Seattle will accept dry agricultural and refrigerated containers. This will reduce operational hurdles and costs, making it so products can more quickly be loaded on ships at the export terminals.
This initiative is expected to complement the recently announced expansion of the Federal Maritime Commission’s VOCC audit program that will focus increased attention on how shipping lines are serving US export shippers.
As mentioned, port congestion-induced impacts to vessel schedules and prioritization of returning containers empty to Asia have significantly raised barriers for exporting agricultural products in containers, resulting in lost markets and disappointed customers.
Additionally, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) will make payments to agricultural companies and cooperatives that preposition containers filled with American-grown agricultural commodities at the “pop-up” temporary site at the Port of Seattle. Specifically, FSA payments of $200 per dry container and $400 per refrigerated, or reefer, container will help cover additional logistical costs.
Relieving congestion and addressing capacity issues at ports through partnerships go well beyond the local region has many benefits.
More specifically, American farmers, ranchers, workers, rural communities and agricultural companies throughout the supply chain will benefit from efforts to restore and improve proper service by ocean carriers; and ultimately, getting safe, nutritious U.S.-grown products to consumers around the world.
