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Port Slowdown Impacts Lewiston Shipping by Associated Press Capital Press, January 15, 2015

Officials say the main problem is that the farthest inland seaport on the West Coast can't get enough empty containers to meet demand.

LEWISTON, Idaho -- Officials at the Port of Lewiston say the number of shipping containers handled by port employees in 2014 is the fewest on record since 1991.

The Lewiston Tribune reports that Port Manager David Doeringsfeld on Wednesday at a port commission meeting said the port handled 3,240 containers last year.

Doeringsfeld says the main problem is that the farthest inland seaport on the West Coast can't get enough empty containers to meet demand.

He blames a union labor disagreement and a contracted operator at the Port of Portland's container terminal in Oregon.

A union spokeswoman tells the newspaper that the union and contract operator have nothing to do with how many empty containers the Port of Lewiston receives.