SSA Terminals (SSAT/ST), a joint venture between SSA Terminals and Terminal Investment (TiL), and The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) have announced the opening of Phase 2 of the Terminal 5 Modernization Program.
The expansion project has culminated in a two-berth international container facility that is welcoming MSC Lily as the inaugural vessel to call the fully modernized terminal.
Construction commenced in July 2019, fueled by a joint investment of more than half a billion dollars from NWSA, SSAT/ST and its partners. The aim is to increase cargo capacity, creates job opportunities in the Puget Sound region, and ensure the NWSA gateway remains competitive in the trans-pacific trade for years to come.
In January 2022, the reconfigured North berth opened to cargo ships with the completion of Phase 1 of the Modernization Project. With Phase 2 operational, the full terminal boasts 185-acres of cargo capacity.
Key features of the Terminal 5 renovations include two reconfigured berths with six super-post Panamax cranes to enhance operational efficiency. On-dock rail facilities, along with additional refrigerated plug-ins, will offer increased benefits to agricultural exporters while also reducing truck traffic near Terminal 5.
Terminal 5 is the first international container terminal to offer shore power capability at two berths.
Three hybrid rubber tire gantry (RTG) cranes, purchased by SSAT/ST, will also be available to move containerized cargo on the terminal and represent one of the first investments in hybrid cargo handling equipment in the NWSA gateway.
“The modernized and upgraded Terminal 5 facility will become one of the key assets in the Pacific Northwest, being one of the few facilities that can handle 24,000 TEU vessels and offering a second-to-none on-dock rail service,” said Tom Van Eynde, Managing Director North America of TiL. “Capitalizing on a strong local consumer market, Terminal 5 will allow us to offer also an attractive gateway for intermodal cargo.”
