The Port of Portland estimates that its marine activities affect more than 154,000 jobs and generate $921 million in regional business revenues each year.  It is the leading auto port on the West Coast, and in 2006 handled a record 463,557 units, a 31% increase in volume over 2005. Container traffic jumped artificially in 2003-2004 due to a large export of empty containers after the Longshoreman’s strike of 2002, but in 2006 there was a genuine increase in this valuable traffic — 38% for imported and 31% for exported containers — and a 16% jump in the number of vessels calling. Nevertheless, Portland remains a small fry compared to Southern California and Seattle-Tacoma-area ports, and declined 43% in container traffic between 2000 and 2005, as other Western ports swelled.

SOURCES: Port of Portland, U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

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