Potential Changes at Port of Quincy Could Benefit Ag

The Port of Quincy is at the center of some possible movement towards creating an inland port in Washington that could provide a hub for ag producer who want to get their products to ports of Seattle and Tacoma.

Pat Boss with the Port said they were approached by the Northwest Seaport Alliance to create a hub.

“What’s driving a lot of these discussions right now about this inland port again is the fact that it would make sense for trucks to go to an inland location like Quincy, we’d put the containers on the train there and the train would take those containers over to Seattle and Tacoma. It would still keep the trucks busy, but the trucks wouldn’t have to go over the pass.”

This past winter was particularly bad with many closures and heavy traffic over all passes.

What could this do for the ag community? Boss said getting commodities over seems becomes more efficient.

“Getting the product onto the ocean carrier or ocean steamship gets streamlined and it really just makes us all more competitive. You’re talking about a more competitive model.”

Boss said it could also reduce carbon emissions with trucks not stuck idling, either in the pass or in the Seattle/Tacoma area.

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