Container Ship Backlog Crowds Puget Sound Waterways

SEATTLE — Puget Sound is contending with more container ships than it has anchorages for as the West Coast navigates an unprecedented backlog in large vessels. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, suitable anchorage areas are at or above capacity across the region due to supply chain issues and logistics challenges affecting both the United States and Canada.

"The Salish Sea and Puget Sound [are] blessed by deep waters," said Laird Hail, director of the Puget Sound Vessel Traffic Service. "This helps us avoid disasters of ships running aground with potential oil pollution. However, the deep waters limit the number of locations we can use for anchorages. Container ships have gotten larger since some of our anchorages were established, and as a result, many of the anchorages are no longer suitable for these ships."

The current situation has prompted officials to tap many of the region's lesser-used anchorages, like Whidbey Island's Holmes Harbor.

"Holmes Harbor is way off the beaten path, requiring lengthier rides for vessel pilots and is further from the vessels' ultimate destination," Hail said. "We've only used Holmes Habor once before on a similar basis in the last 15 to 30 years, and that was during the 2014-2015 slowdown caused by labor disputes resulting in a similar backup. As soon as the congestion resolves to where it is not necessary to use Holmes Harbor, we will return to using it only as an overflow location."

With so many ships spread out across the region, the Coast Guard said it was fielding more reports from neighbors on land complaining of excessive noise and bright lights.

"Vessels do not run their propulsion engines unless it is excessively windy (gales and above) and need to use propulsion to avoid dragging anchor," the Coast Guard wrote. "Reports of low-hum noise are likely due to generators, which container ships have to use to produce electricity."

The Coast Guard's Sector Puget Sound is working with ship pilots, port officials and terminals to stand up new practices for ship queuing, aiming to make arrivals more efficient and reduce the demand on anchorages, officials said.

Neighbors who feel like lights or noise coming from the ships are beyond the acceptable range can contact the Coast Guard at 206-217-6152, and an on-duty supervisor will reach out to the crew.