Feb 23, 2016

Washington state reports losses during dock slowdowns

The Washington Council on International Trade recently released a study on the economic impacts the West Coast ports slowdown had on Washington state businesses.

Washington state apple growers lost $95 million from exports that were not shipped during the six months of the 2014-2015 port labor-related slowdown, while the Washington State Potato Commission reported losses of $23 million a month.

Here’s more from the Puget Sound Business Journal:

“The 2014-2015 port management-labor contract dispute was catastrophic for our trade-supported state,” said council President Eric Schinfeld, in a statement.

In total, $555.8 million in exports were not moved via ship during the slowdown.

“Our farmers could not get their products to customers, resulting in well over $100 million of agricultural products being wasted. Our manufacturers could not fulfill orders and did not have access to core manufacturing components,” Schinfeld said.