ICTSI will continue attempts to attract container service to Portland, Ore.

The container terminal operator made the statement Thursday that it would continue to put forth effort to bring container service to the port in response to the news that Westwood Shipping Lines is suspending its service to Portland’s Terminal 6.

   International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) Oregon will continue putting forth effort to bring a container service to the Port of Portland, Ore., the container terminal operator said.
   ICTSI made the statement Thursday in response to the news that Westwood Shipping Lines is suspending its service to Portland’s Terminal 6.
   “Westwood Shipping Lines’ suspension of its Portland, Oregon service is directly related to the departure of Hanjin Shipping and Hapag Lloyd from Terminal 6 in the Spring of 2015,” ICTSI said. Because 98 percent of the terminal’s business was lost at that time, it became uneconomical for Westwood to continue a single monthly vessel call with low container volumes.
   “Though we hate to see a loyal customer like Westwood suspend its service, we remain as committed as ever to bringing container business back to Terminal 6 and increasing volumes to make it economically feasible for Westwood to resume its direct call to Portland,” ICTSI Oregon CEO Elvis Ganda said.
   Westwood has called the Port of Portland’s Terminal 6 with container service since July 2010. After Hanjin and Hapag-Lloyd pulled out in March 2015, Westwood suspended service the following month, but returned with monthly export calls in July 2015.
   Each call to the port exported approximately 150 containers of hay, grass seed, dried fruits, other mixed agricultural goods and paperboard to Japan.
   The Port of Portland noted that bulk, breakbulk and auto operations at terminals 2, 4, 5 and 6 will not be impacted.