Tacoma is a major port city in Washington state with extensive transloading capabilities. The Port of Tacoma offers first-rate intermodal infrastructure to transfer freight between ships, trucks, and trains. With close proximity to major highways and rail lines, as well as deep-water berths to handle massive container ships, the Port of Tacoma has become a prime location for transloading various types of cargo.
Finding Transloading Services in Tacoma, Washington
Transloading refers to the process of transferring a shipment from one mode of transportation to another. It provides flexibility in the supply chain so goods can reach their destination efficiently. Transloading frequently takes place between rail cars and trucks. The goods get transported over long distances by train then are transferred to trucks for final delivery.
Other common instances of transloading include:
- Container ships to trucks
- Container ships to rail cars
- Bulk pneumatic trucks to rail cars
- Air freight to trucks
Reasons to Transload in Tacoma
The Port of Tacoma offers an ideal setting for transloading:
- Strategic Location
Tacoma sits along the primary shipping corridor between the U.S. Midwest and Asia. Hence, it provides easy access for imports and exports to major markets.
- Intermodal Infrastructure
With on-dock and near-dock rail yards, extensive truck gates and container yards, and heavy-lift capable terminals, the port can smoothly transfer cargo between multiple transportation modes.
- Customs Procedures
The port has inland customs clearance, which speeds up processing to get freight released rapidly after unloading.
- Distribution Access
The Tacoma and Seattle metro region has a large cluster of warehouses, fulfillment centers, and value-added services. As a result, we can see efficient cargo distribution in the region.
Facilities and Capabilities for Transloading in Tacoma, Washington
The Port of Tacoma provides a wide range of transloading, handling, and storage facilities to meet diverse cargo needs. Below are some of the key capabilities at the port relevant to transloading activities:
- On-dock rail at most terminals to shift containers between ships and trains
- Bulk transloading stations to transfer dry and liquid bulk between rail cars and trucks
- Cold storage warehouses with rail access to transload refrigerated container contents
- Cross-dock warehouses to quickly transfer cargo between trucks
- Lay down yards to stage project and breakbulk cargo for transloading
- Container yards with plug-in stations for refrigerated units
- Customs bonded warehouses for transloading imports intended for export
In addition to the public terminals and facilities owned by the Port of Tacoma, there are many privately-owned warehouses, distribution centers, and transload facilities near the port suited for transloading operations.
Commodities Handled During Transloading in Tacoma, Washington
Many different types of commodities move through the Port of Tacoma, with transloading playing a vital role in many supply chains:
- Bulk commodities like grain, potash, petroleum products, iron ore, and coal rely heavily on transloading in Tacoma. Railcars transport bulk cargo to various terminals where they get transferred to ocean-going vessels, barges, or trucks.
- Containers full of industrial machinery, auto parts, consumer goods, foods, and many other products routinely get transloaded to/from rail at on-dock rail facilities at Tacoma container terminals. Refrigerated containers maintain the cold chain when plugging into electric stations.
- Project and breakbulk cargoes like wind turbine blades, mining equipment, steel coils, and specialty chemicals use the open storage areas and multipurpose facilities to stage cargo for transloading between rail, truck and ships.
- Motor vehicles enter Tacoma terminals via railcar or truck to get transloaded into purpose-built ships for export. Other vehicles get imported and processed on terminal then transloaded to trucks or rail for domestic distribution.
Finding Transloading Services in Tacoma
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