The Port of Tacoma is a major center for container cargo, bulk, breakbulk, autos and heavy-lift cargo. Created by Pierce County citizens in 1918, the Port of Tacoma has become one of the largest container ports in North America and one of the top 50 in the world.
Located on Commencement Bay, a natural deep-water harbor in South Puget Sound, the Port is ideally situated for creating jobs through Pacific Rim trade. The Port encompasses about 2,400 acres of land on the Tacoma Tideflats.
Five publicly elected commissioners govern the Port district, which encompasses all of Pierce County. Commission meetings are open to the public, available for viewing live and on demand online, and rebroadcast throughout Pierce County on local TV channels.
Port facilities include marine terminals, on-dock rail yards, cargo-handling equipment, and industrial property with warehouses, docks and other amenities available to lease or develop.
In 2012, the Port handled 1.7 million containers, contributing to $46 billion in international trade and an estimated $3 billion in trade to Alaska. See all 2012 cargo statistics and monthly cargo reports.
Port activities account for more than 43,000 jobs in Pierce County, and 113,000 jobs in Washington state. Port activities contribute more than $90 million each year in state and local taxes. Learn more about the Port's economic impact.
The Port has cleaned up more than 400 acres of formerly contaminated property for return to productive use, restored more than 80 acres of habitat for fish and other wildlife, and preserved about 70 acres of open space to serve as a natural buffer between industrial activities and residential areas. Learn more.
The Port engages regularly with the community through sponsorships, partnerships, bus and boat tours, community events, school programs, civic presentations and social media outlets, including Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and YouTube.