January 26, 2026

Tacoma waterfront bids farewell to two giants

Image from video via the Port of Tacoma and NWSA [enlarge]

The ship-to-shore cranes were loaded onto a heavy-lift barge and towed to the Port of Bellingham for recycling.

Something's different about the Tacoma waterfront these days.

Last month, two giant ship-to-shore cranes — which had stood at Terminal 7 for decades — were loaded onto a heavy-lift barge and towed out of Commencement Bay, headed for the Port of Bellingham for recycling.

The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA), the marine cargo operating partnership of the ports of Seattle and Tacoma, announced the removal of the cranes in December.

According to NWSA, the removal of the giants marks the final step in a multi-year project to retire equipment that had reached the end of its safe and useful life. The IHI 2078 — built in 1979 — and Sumitomo 2403 — built in 1986 — had become unreliable, NWSA says, with the cost of maintaining them far exceeding their remaining value to the port.

Their removal allows space for more cargo activity, and for future terminal improvements.

“These cranes helped build Tacoma's reputation as a world-class gateway for generations,” stated John McCarthy, NWSA co-chair and Port of Tacoma Commission president. “Their departure creates valuable pier space, eliminates ongoing maintenance costs, and allows us to focus resources on the future, all while honoring the history they represent.”

NWSA says the choice to remove the cranes whole, rather than dismantle them at the site, was made to help minimize disruption to cargo activities at the busy terminal.

Watch a timelapse video of the cranes being loaded to the barge here: https://tinyurl.com/bdddc95n