The Brief
- Viral social media posts falsely claim Seattle ports are “dead.”
- Port officials report a 20% increase in cargo traffic this year.
- Tariffs could impact future imports, especially clothing and shoes; and consumers may begin to feel the effects during the 2025 holiday shopping season if trade issues persist.
SEATTLE – Viral TikTok videos and Facebook posts claiming the Port of Seattle is “effectively dead” are spreading fast — but port officials say the rumors aren’t true.
The claims, which show videos of empty-looking docks and container yards, have reached tens of thousands of viewers across social platforms. One widely shared video falsely states, “Not a single international cargo ship in the port of Seattle.”
Port traffic has increased, not declined
By the numbers:
Despite what the videos show, the latest shipping data from the Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) tells a different story.…