Port & rail briefing
Seattle and Tacoma port and rail briefing for November 16–20, 2026
Plan around Seattle terminal closures, Tacoma export cutoffs and Union Pacific’s holiday advisory. Check Thanksgiving receiving, rail and equipment returns before dispatch.
By SP Logistics · Reviewed
Seattle gate closures fall on different days
As checked November 14, Terminal 5 lists a gate and yard closure for Monday, November 16. Terminal 18 lists November 16–19 open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday, November 20 closed. Both Seattle terminals list closures on November 26 and 27. See the Terminal 5 notice and Terminal 18 gate calendar.
Action for shippers. Check which terminal and transaction you booked, then recheck the current appointment and any separate pickup, receiving or return cutoff. For imports near the closure, verify the actual last free day before moving the pickup or receiving appointment.
Tacoma exporters should check dry and reefer cutoffs
The November 13 Pierce County Terminal table listed a November 16 dry cargo cutoff and a November 17 reefer cutoff for Ever Magus voyage 1476-009W. That is a dated example of why the cutoff has to match the cargo and voyage. Confirm the current plan for your booking in the NWSA export receiving notices and with the terminal and carrier.
Action for shippers. For a Husky, WUT or PCT export, make sure the truck order has the current vessel and voyage, destination terminal, earliest receiving date, cargo cutoff and appointment. If loading and gate-in no longer line up, check the available options before authorizing a truck move.
Check rail and road plans before Thanksgiving week
Union Pacific’s November 13 Thanksgiving intermodal advisory says most terminals are expected to operate and warns that schedule adjustments can affect unit availability. Check the named UP facility and the individual unit before scheduling collection. For BNSF moves, use BNSF’s own notices and confirm the ramp on the release.
For permit-dependent loads, check WSDOT’s holiday restrictions with dispatch. Some oversize or overweight movements are subject to restrictions starting at noon on the day before Thanksgiving.
Action for shippers. Before the holiday week, confirm terminal or ramp hours, the receiver’s hours and the authorized empty-return location. Share the person responsible for each appointment or cutoff so one confirmed window does not hide a conflict later in the move.