The Ports of Seattle and Tacoma together form the Pacific Northwest's largest container gateway — serving the tech-heavy PNW economy plus the gateway for Japanese, South Korean, and Chinese imports heading to the mountain states and Midwest via rail. Find who is importing what using public CBP manifest data.
| # | Commodity Category | Volume | Top Origins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Automotive & Parts | $12B+/yr | Japan, South Korea, Germany |
| 2 | Electronics & Tech | $10B+/yr | Japan, South Korea, China |
| 3 | Lumber & Forest Products | $5B+/yr | Canada, Chile, New Zealand |
| 4 | Agricultural Products | $4B+/yr | Japan, South Korea (inbound ag supply) |
| 5 | Retail Consumer Goods | $8B+/yr | China, Vietnam, Taiwan |
| Country | Port Share | Main Cargo |
|---|---|---|
| China | ~32% | Consumer goods, electronics, apparel, machinery |
| Japan | ~18% | Automotive, electronics, industrial equipment |
| South Korea | ~12% | Automotive, steel, electronics, chemicals |
| Canada | ~8% | Lumber, paper, potash, oil |
| Taiwan | ~5% | Semiconductors, electronics, industrial components |
Toyota, Honda, Subaru, Nissan, Hyundai, and Kia all bring vehicles and parts through Seattle/Tacoma's RoRo (Roll-on/Roll-off) terminals. The Pacific Northwest is a major vehicle distribution hub for the Western US.
Microsoft, Amazon, and thousands of tech companies headquartered in the Pacific Northwest import hardware, components, and consumer devices through these ports. The tech-dense Seattle economy creates a unique electronics import concentration.
Pacific Northwest lumber mills and forest products companies import specialized wood products from Canada, New Zealand, and Chile. Seattle/Tacoma also handles significant volumes of imported lumber for the Western US housing market.
Representative records from US CBP public manifest filings at Port of Seattle / Tacoma
| Shipper | Product | US Consignee | Vessel | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOYOTA MOTOR CORP JAPAN | PASSENGER VEHICLES | TOYOTA MOTOR SALES USA | MORNING LAURA | 1,250,000 KG |
| SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS KOREA | CONSUMER ELECTRONICS | SAMSUNG AMERICA INC | HYUNDAI TOGETHER | 18,400 KG |
| ARAUCO CHILE SA | RADIATA PINE LUMBER | INTERSTATE BUILDING MAT | SALAMBRIA | 128,000 KG |
| HITACHI LTD JAPAN | INDUSTRIAL ELECTRONICS | HITACHI AMERICA LTD | NYK ARGUS | 24,000 KG |
"automotive" or "vehicle" RoRo imports from Japan, South Korea"electronic components" or "circuit boards" at Seattle/Tacoma"lumber" or "softwood" imports from Canada, New Zealand"consumer electronics" imports through Pacific Northwest ports"food ingredients" or "seafood" imports from Japan, RussiaSeattle/Tacoma is 2–3 days closer to Asia than LA/LB for intermodal cargo heading to the Midwest. Amazon, Walmart, and large retailers use PNW ports for intermodal routing to Denver, Chicago, and the Great Plains. Manifest data reveals who is using this routing.
Toyota, Honda, Subaru, Hyundai, and Kia are heavily represented at Seattle/Tacoma's vehicle terminals. Parts and component imports for dealership networks across the Western US flow through this port. A specialty automotive freight niche.
The Seattle metro is home to Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing, Costco, and hundreds of tech companies. Their import needs — hardware, components, packaging, supplies — flow through local ports. Manifest data captures this uniquely tech-heavy import mix.
For freight prospecting, treat them as one market — many importers use both terminals depending on vessel schedule and terminal availability. Search "Port of Seattle" and "Port of Tacoma" together or search by consignee address (Pacific Northwest zip codes).
Yes. Vehicle (RoRo) imports file manifest records including the vehicle manufacturer, count, and consignee. Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, and other brands' US distribution entities appear as regular consignees at Seattle/Tacoma.
Yes. Amazon files manifest records as importer of record for goods it imports directly. Amazon's various entities (Amazon.com Services, Amazon Logistics) appear in manifest data with product categories spanning electronics, housewares, and private label goods.
PNW ports primarily handle lumber exports (outbound to Asia). For lumber imports (from Chile, Canada, New Zealand), Seattle/Tacoma manifest records are relevant. The lumber import mix at PNW ports differs from East Coast ports that handle more tropical hardwoods.
10M+ manifest records covering Port of Seattle / Tacoma and every other US port. Find importers, track volumes, and build your freight prospect list.
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