Good afternoon, Mis Amigos Maritimos —
This week at the Marine Exchange of Puget Sound, we observed modest uptick in vessel arrivals (hooray), delivered critical testimony in Olympia (hooray), and closely monitored global trade turbulence (boo) stemming from a bold new economic posture out of Washington, D.C.
Let’s dive into the details:
Executive Summary
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Vessel arrivals increased 12% overall this week.
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I testified in opposition to tax increases on stevedoring services (aka Senate Bill 5794).
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April 2, now coined “Liberation Day,” introduced major shifts in global trade dynamics, with potential ripple effects for Washington’s ports.
Vessel Traffic Snapshot
Across all vessel categories, we saw an increase from 42 to 47 arrivals, led by tankers and container ships. The full breakdown:
| Category | Last Week | This Week | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bulk | 7 | 5 | -29% |
| Container | 14 | 16 | +14% |
| General | 1 | 1 | 0% |
| RO/RO | 2 | 2 | 0% |
| Tanker | 9 | 12 | +33% |
| Tug/ATB | 2 | 3 | +50% |
| Vehicles | 6 | 7 | +17% |
Port-specific activity also showed a 20% increase in total dockings, with significant jumps in Cherry Point, Everett, and Olympia. Tacoma saw a slight decrease, while Seattle traffic rose by 27%.
Situational Awareness
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Weather: Mixed conditions with generally clear skies in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and mild winds.
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Disruptions: No maritime incidents reported locally.
Legislative Engagement
This week, I drove to Olympia and testified against SB 5794, which would sharply raise the cost of doing business on Washington’s working waterfront. The bill proposes a Public Utility Tax and increases in B&O tax on stevedoring—a move that could disproportionately harm port workers, especially in communities of color.
We remain committed to:
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Supporting bills that promote maritime workforce development and economic resilience.
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Opposing policies that add unnecessary burden to vital maritime services.
🎧 Listen to our new podcast episode featuring Reps. Julia Reed (coming next week!) and Greg Nance—discussing legislative priorities, career pathways, and what inspires their service—now live.
Technology & Data
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Our AIS network remains strong: 100% of towers operational with >99.9% uptime.
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Ongoing database optimizations continue to streamline ship movement tracking and port performance analytics.
Looking Ahead
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April 8 marks the Fiscal Committee cutoff—a key moment in this year’s legislative calendar.
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We’re finalizing participation in the ECHO Southern Resident Killer Whale Slowdown Program.
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Preparing for the Harbor Safety Committee meeting on May 7—agenda to be released soon.
Spotlight: “Liberation Day” & Global Trade
April 2, 2025, now dubbed “Liberation Day,” saw the implementation of sweeping new tariffs under the Trump Administration—both blanket and targeted. While the immediate effects are still unfolding, early market indicators reflect volatility and uncertainty.
Washington’s maritime economy sits at a critical juncture. We are monitoring:
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Freight rate fluctuations
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Port call patterns
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Trade index movements
Insights shared at this week’s joint Seattle/Tacoma Transportation Club meeting with the Federal Reserve were valuable—though no direct forecasts were given, the message was clear: flexibility and preparedness are more vital than ever.
Stay informed. Stay connected. And as always, thank you for your partnership in keeping our maritime gateway efficient, resilient, and future-ready.
– The Marine Exchange of Puget Sound
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