Year in Review

2018 YEAR IN REVIEW

Strategic investments and a diverse portfolio of commodities have positioned the Port of Vancouver USA to take full advantage of opportunities in the global economy. Leveraging revenue, tax dollars, and federal and state grant funds, the port continues to invest in critical infrastructure and assets, including rail, equipment, dock improvements and world-class staff. Fluctuations in currency and the global economy had an impact in 2018, but the port still saw an increase in tonnage, which contributed to a slight increase in operating revenue from $36.0 million to $37.9 million. With strong gains in both overall export tonnage and import tonnage, the port has recorded its fifth consecutive record-tonnage year.

Operating Revenues (5.5 percent increase from 2017)*

* 2018 – $37,997,110

* 2017 – $36,018,976

* 2016 – $35,909,165

Operating expenses (3.0 percent increase from 2017)*

* 2018 – $29,561,327

* 2017 – $28,699,409

* 2016 – $29,846,353

Net profit (15.2 percent increase from 2017)*

* 2018 – $8,435,783

* 2017 – $7,319,567

* 2016 – $6,062,812

Total net asset increase in 11 years (93 percent increase over 2007)*

* 2018 – $467 million

* 2007 – $252 million

*These numbers have not yet been confirmed by the Washington State Auditor’s Office

Global demand drives cargo tonnage increase

The port recorded 8.1 million metric tons in 2018, an 8.3 percent increase over the 2017 record of 7.5

million metric tons.

Total cargo tonnage (8.3 percent increase from 2017)

* 2018 – 8,119,186 metric tons

* 2017 – 7,499,333 metric tons

* 2016 – 7,488,352 metric tons

Vessel calls (0.3 percent decrease from 2017)

* 2018 – 391 vessels

* 2017 – 392 vessels

* 2016 – 410 vessels

Total rail cars (3.6 percent increase from 2017)

* 2018 – 67,734 rail cars

* 2017 – 65,398 rail cars

* 2016 – 65,100 rail cars

Exports increase in 2018

The port saw significant increases in some bulk commodities last year, including copper and corn,

helping to increase overall exports by 8.7 percent from 2017. Despite a decline in soybean exports,

grain continues to be the Port of Vancouver’s largest export by volume.

Below is a sample of the port’s export cargo from 2016 to 2018.

Overall exports (8.7 percent increase from 2017)

* 2018 – 6,798,166 metric tons

* 2017 – 6,255,332 metric tons

* 2016 – 6,319,936 metric tons

Copper exports (40.7 percent increase from 2017)

* 2018 – 360,304 metric tons

* 2017 – 256,006 metric tons

* 2016 – 229,173 metric tons 

Bentonite clay exports (0.9 percent increase from 2017)

* 2018 – 145,357 metric tons

* 2017 – 144,041 metric tons

* 2016 – 132,021 metric tons

Jet fuel exports (43.4 percent decrease from 2017)

* 2018 – 7,665 metric tons

*2017 – 13,531 metric tons

* 2016 – 41, 544 metric tons

Wheat, soybeans and corn exports (8.5 percent increase from 2017)

* 2018 – 5.75 million metric tons

* 2017 – 5.30 million metric tons

* 2016 – 5.33 million metric tons

Wheat exports (1.9 percent increase from 2017)

* 2018 – 2,634,587 metric tons

* 2017 – 2,584,903 metric tons

* 2016 – 2,191,813 metric tons

Soy exports (26.0 percent decrease from 2017)

* 2018 – 1,075,206 million metric tons

* 2017 – 1,452,655 million metric tons

* 2016 – 1,415,264 million metric tons

Corn exports (61.3 percent increase from 2017)

* 2018 – 2,039,235 million metric tons

* 2017 – 1,264,019 million metric tons

* 2016 – 1,722,033 million metric tons

Scrap metal exports (0.9 percent increase from 2017)

* 2018 – 214,774 metric tons

* 2017 – 212,944 metric tons

* 2016 – 346,855 metric tons

Pulp exports (41.3 percent decrease from 2017)

* 2018 – 40,388 metric tons

* 2017 – 68,848 metric tons

* 2016 – 81,569 metric tons

Impressive gains in overall import tonnage in 2017

Some imports, such as steel and Subaru vehicles, increased in 2017, raising the port’s overall import

tonnage by 6.2 percent.

Overall imports (6.2 percent increase from 2017)

* 2018 – 1,321,020 million metric tons

* 2017 – 1,244,001 million metric tons

* 2016 – 1,168,415 million metric tons

Steel imports (16.6 percent increase from 2017)

* 2018 – 830,912 metric tons

* 2017 – 712,834 metric tons

* 2016 – 621,142 metric tons

Jet fuel imports (13.7 percent decrease from 2017)

* 2018 – 55,376 metric tons

* 2017 – 64,188 metric tons

* 2016 – 63,516 metric tons

Wind energy imports (Decrease from 2017)

* 2018 – 0 metric tons

* 2017 – 393 metric tons

* 2016 – 11,434 metric tons

Pulp imports (no change from 2017)

* 2018 – 0 metric tons

* 2017 – 0 metric tons

* 2016 – 7,000 metric tons 

Subaru of America Inc. (4.1 percent increase from 2017)

* 2018 – 91,544 vehicles

* 2017 – 87,978 vehicles

* 2016 – 87,600 vehicles

Industrial occupancy at the port continues to exceed 99 percent. Construction on the port’s Centennial Industrial Building was complete in March 2018. By June, the entire 125,000-square-foot light-industrial facility was leased by Hawthorne Hydroponics. The port’s 50-plus tenants offer a wide range of products and services, from wood paneling and aluminum extrusion to food transportation and electronics recycling. Tenant businesses employ thousands of people and contribute significantly to the local economy and tax base.

For the eighth year in a row, the port continued its commitment to renewable energy through the purchase of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) equal to 100 percent of its purchased electricity. The port also continues its innovative stormwater management with biofiltration technology that enables the port to meet regulatory requirements to control zinc, oil and other runoff contaminants. Other efforts include floating treatment wetlands in the port’s Terminal 4 stormwater retention pond to assist in reducing copper and zinc.

The port continues to invest in its Terminal 1 waterfront redevelopment project, which includes plans for a hotel, public marketplace, commercial and retail space, public art and a connection to the city’s Renaissance Trail. Grant-funded ground stabilization and utility work is slated for this summer as the port prepares for extension of the Renaissance trail and construction of a new hotel. The port received a $1.3 million Washington State capital budget grant, augmenting its 2017 $485,000 Transportation Alternatives Program grant for the trail extension. Construction on the new AC by Marriott Hotel at Terminal 1, which is dependent on ground-stabilization work, is expected to begin in 2019.