Seattle’s Terminal 5 unveils fully modernized South berth with maiden ship call

The arrival of the Madeira-flagged 8,800 TEU containership MSC Lily marked the official inauguration of fully modernized second berth of the Terminal 5 in the Port of Seattle.

The first ship call was announced by SSA Terminals (Seattle Terminals), a joint venture between SSA Terminals and Terminal Investment Ltd., and The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA), marking the opening of the Phase 2 of the Terminal 5 Modernization Program.

Key features of the Terminal 5 renovations include two reconfigured berths with six state-of-the-art 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.

Construction commenced in July 2019, fueled by a joint investment of more than half a billion dollars from NWSA, SSAT/ST and its partners.

In January 2022, the reconfigured North berth opened to cargo ships with the completion of Phase One of the Modernization Project. With Phase Two operational, the full terminal boasts 185-acres of cargo capacity.

“The opening of Phase 2 of Terminal 5 marks a significant milestone for both economic expansion and increased sustainable operations in the NWSA gateway,” said Hamdi Mohamed, Port of Seattle Commission President and NWSA Co-Chair.

“Together with our partners, the terminal boasts investments in shore power, state-of-the-art stormwater systems, and hybrid-electric equipment alongside increased cargo capacity which ensures more goods can move through the terminal in a sustainable and efficient manner.”

“SSAT/ST is proud to partner with the Northwest Seaport Alliance to completes Phase 2 of the Terminal 5 modernization project,” said Ed DeNike, President of SSA Marine’s container division.

“Investing in the development of Terminal 5’s capabilities is a tremendous opportunity to meet the growing needs of our customers in the Puget Sound region, drive increased cargo volumes, and add jobs, all of which will help support the growth of the NWSA gateway into the future.”

“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.”

“MSC through our terminal investment arm Terminal Investment Limited (TiL) is thrilled to announce this historic modernization project. We look forward to the opportunities that this project will bring to the region. Through this effort, American businesses, farmers, and consumers will substantially benefit from increased trade capacity that enhances the U.S. west coast’s access to ever-expanding global markets,” said Stanley Kwiaton, MSC’s Regional Manager-West Coast, Port Operations.

Terminal 5 is the first international container terminal to offer shore power capability at two berths, enabling vessels to plug into the City of Seattle’s clean electric grid instead of utilizing the ships’ diesel engines. This enhancement will reduce vessel emissions while at berth and support the NWSA’s sustainability initiatives.

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.