• TPM24
  • March 3-6, 2024 | Long Beach Convention Center

John Wolfe

The Northwest Seaport Alliance

CEO

John Wolfe is chief executive officer of The Northwest Seaport Alliance. He sets the organization’s vision and strategy and guides the NWSA’s unique customer-focused culture.

Wolfe previously served as the CEO of the Port of Tacoma, a position he was named to in 2010.

Prior to joining the Port of Tacoma, Wolfe served for two years as the executive director of the Port of Olympia, and before that as Olympia's director of operations and marine terminal general manager.

He is on the boards of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), Federal Reserve Bank San Francisco Seattle Branch, Executive Council for a Greater Tacoma, Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce, the Washington State Fair Board, Federal Maritime Commission’s Export Innovation Team and Maritime Innovation Advisory Council for the Department of Commerce.

Wolfe earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Pacific Lutheran University.

Sessions With John Wolfe

Tuesday, 28 February

  • 03:15pm - 04:00pm (PST) / 28/feb/2023 11:15 pm - 01/mar/2023 12:00 am

    How to Improve Container Flow Through Terminals
    If the pandemic experience taught us anything about supply chains, it's the urgency of maintaining container flow through ports and terminals. The logic is simple: Too many containers — loaded or empty — sitting on terminal grounds slows productivity at the berth and the gate. As data clearly showed, lower productivity results in ships remaining at berth for longer, forcing incoming ships — and all of their cargo — to wait at anchor. Transit times, lead times, and inventory-carrying costs all increase as a direct result, while shippers' revenue and responsiveness to customer demands go down. Many factors work against flow: empties not being removed quickly, excessive free time within service contracts, and shippers and truckers' slow transition to 24/7 operations, to mention but a few. Unprecedented pressure obviously was placed on the system beginning in late 2020, but future shocks are a certainty, and lessons need to be learned. This session will address what steps need to be taken to ensure consistent flow going forward. 
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