The NW Seaport Alliance is like a marriage. Tacoma and Seattle are stronger together | Opinion

The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) was established in 2015 to promote the economic development of marine cargo operations in both the north and south harbors. Commissioners from both homeports, known as Managing Members, are committed to shared core objectives of supporting customer success, protecting and increasing regional jobs and expanding the Pacific Northwest corridor’s role in U.S. trade and the greater North American economy.

This joint venture has been hailed as a positive and creative approach throughout our industry at the national and international levels. So much so that our alliance has been used as the model for the Hong Kong Seaport Alliance.

Prior to NWSA’s formation, detrimental competition between two Puget Sound ports was clearly costing our state and region. The Port of Seattle and the Port of Tacoma competed vigorously for customers and grants, to the detriment of our state and to the benefit of our regional competitors such as the Port of Vancouver and Prince Rupert. In focusing our gateway as one entity, we are better positioned to address competitive threats at a national and international scale.

With the opportunity to strategically prioritize investments in terminal infrastructure and environmental initiatives in two harbors, the NWSA will be able to compete on the West Coast for many years into the future. Therefore, any investments made into our gateway should not be viewed as an investment in Seattle or Tacoma but rather, an investment in the alliance. Any way of thinking contrary to this is a relic of the past.

By working together, the NWSA has made major strides, securing funding opportunities to support shore power infrastructure, zero-emission cargo handling equipment and cleaner drayage trucks moving cargo across our region. Single-handedly, these investments would be big lifts for a single port, but by putting competition aside and joining together, the north and south harbors have both received significant federal grants that are helping to modernize and decarbonize port operations faster.

International trade is the lifeblood of ports. The NWSA, like all other ports in our industry, is subject to constant change from economic, political and environmental forces — compounded by the recent realities of the COVID pandemic and related supply chain impacts. We expect income and investment across both harbors to ebb and flow based on these realities and for NWSA’s Managing Members to make business decisions that put our regional economy first.

Similar to any joint venture partnership, revenues and capital expenditures are the decisions of the governing board and in this case, the Managing Members. These investments don’t happen in a vacuum. They are made within the larger context of the overall organizational needs and strategy. This could mean that for a short period, one harbor receives more investments than the other. However, over time, both harbors will get the investments they need to remain competitive in the global marketplace and both harbors will reap those benefits.

All Managing Members have the opportunity to weigh into the process by voice and vote in public meetings. There is also an Internal Governance Work Group, comprised of the current and past NWSA co-chairs, who examine how we bring properties in and out of the NWSA in Seattle and Tacoma.

To ensure the success and stability of this organization, recently, all 10 Managing Members voted unanimously to extend CEO John Wolfe’s contract for another four years in recognition of his exceptional leadership and vital role in the international marketplace. He is dedicated to the success of this joint venture and we are fortunate to have him at the helm of this organization.

As Co-Chairs of the NWSA, we encourage all of our Managing Members to be committed to the success of this organization on behalf of the voters of Pierce and King Counties. We encourage them to work together with their elected colleagues to not only ensure the success of this organization but to honor the contractual agreement of the NWSA’s Charter as established in 2015.

Joint partnerships are similar to a marriage; and marriages sometimes require focus on one partner over another from time to time. When that happens, the marriage is stronger overall.

Together, through our partnership as the NWSA, we are making our region more competitive, efficient, and sustainable in moving cargo that supports businesses, economic opportunities and job creation for our regions and across Washington state.

We are stronger together.

Deanna Keller is President Port of Tacoma Commission and co-chair of the Northwest Seaport Alliance.

Sam Cho is President Port of Seattle Commission and co-chair of the Northwest Seaport Alliance.