Puyallup Tribe and NWSA unite to expand PNW Maritime Gateway’s capacity

The Puyallup Tribe of Indians and the Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA), a marine cargo operating partnership of the Port of Seattle and the Port of Tacoma, have joined forces to construct a new berth at the Port of Tacoma, expanding the capacity of the Pacific Northwest (PNW) Maritime Gateway, a U.S. transportation and trade hub.

Under the terms of a memorandum of understanding (MoU), the Puyallup Tribe and the NWSA intend to construct a new pier, Puyallup Tribal Terminal, on a Tribal property adjacent to East Blair Terminal (EB1) located along the East Blair Waterway, and to jointly market and operate both facilities.

The EB1 terminal receives roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) and breakbulk cargo, with primary imports including automobiles and heavy equipment. The new Tribal pier will, reportedly, feature comparable capabilities to the existing pier including on-dock rail and featuring carbon reduction technology to minimize localized pollution impacts as well as global warming impacts. The NWSA said it will offer technical support to ensure consistency and efficiency between the piers.

Increased capacity of EB1 and Puyallup Tribal is expected to enable new cargo services to call the Tacoma Harbor, driving more job opportunities on the waterfront as well as across the supply chain. According to the partners, the operating income generated by both terminals will be divided.

Puyallup Tribal Council, the Puyallup Tribe’s governing body, said: “No Tribe has ever had this historic an opportunity to partner with a port, and we are excited to enter this business relationship with The Northwest Seaport Alliance and continue to expand the Puyallup Tribe’s ventures on our homelands. Not only will this be a benefit to the NWSA, Port and region, but it will also allow future opportunities for our Tribal Members.”

Matt Wadhwani, CEO of Puyallup Tribal Enterprises and the Tribe’s Financial Officer, stressed: “The Puyallup Tribe owns more than 120 acres of prime land along the Blair Waterway. This partnership will fully realize the value of the property and position both the Tribe and the surrounding community for long-term economic growth.”

John McCarthy, Port of Tacoma’s Commission President and Co-Chair of the Northwest Seaport Alliance, commented: “This groundbreaking partnership with the Puyallup Tribe signifies a new era of collaboration and innovation. By working together, we can leverage our collective strengths to enhance our competitiveness, attract new business, and further solidify our position as a leading gateway for global trade.”

To note, the Port of Tacoma and the Puyallup Tribe, reportedly, worked together on preparations needed in the Blair Waterway to allow for the development of the new facility. As informed, The Port of Tacoma invested in conceptual design work, waterway depth analysis and ship simulation, and both parties will continue collaborating to finalize the design, permitting and construction processes.

It is understood that the Puyallup Tribe will fund, construct and own the Puyallup Tribal Terminal and associated acreage to include all maintenance, repair and replacement of facilities, and the NWSA will continue to be responsible for cargo activities at EB1. The parties are expected to work as a unified provider for the customer base by comarketing the services, capabilities and attributes of both terminals.