Commissioners at the Port of Seattle and Port of Tacoma were told last week that U.S. West Coast ports are losing their market share and would continue doing so in the future unless some drastic changes are made in the way the ports operate and market themselves. The presentation, which was referred to by port officials as both "somber" and "depressing," was prepared by John Martin of Martin Associates, who has completed more than 500 economic, planning and marketing studies for U.S. seaports over the past 25 years.

During his two-hour presentation before a joint meeting of the two Puget Sound ports, Martin said that the West Coast started to lose its market share in late 2002, when marine terminals locked out longshore laborers following an impasse in contract negotiations. At that time, large importers looked for all-water alternatives for their cargo and rerouted cargo through Gulf Coast and East Coast ports. Further congestion in Southern California during peak season 2004 led even more importers to pursue alternatives to West Coast gateways, Martin said.

 - The Cunningham Report