FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PORTLAND, ORE. (May 11,
2010) – New Transpacific Service to Carry Oregon Exports to Japan
A new
international shipping service announced today by Westwood Shipping Lines and
the Port of Portland will soon provide regional exporters with direct access to
ports in Japan.
Starting
on July 11, the monthly service will provide space for more than 200 containers
per month under a six month contract. Once successfully established, Port
officials say the service could quickly increase in both volumes and frequency
of vessel calls.
“While
this will start relatively small, the relevance to shippers in our region is
great,” said Greg Borossay, Senior Manager Carrier Development for the Port of
Portland. “This is a key mission-driven service for the Port and the Columbia
River basin, and there is solid potential for growth.”
Westwood’s
Portland service will carry non-refrigerated containerized agricultural
products including hay, as well as paper products and other commodities from
valley, upriver and inland customers. Ports of call in Japan will include
Shimizu, Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka and Nagoya, as well as Busan, South Korea.
Westwood provides service to more ports in Japan on a direct call basis than
any other carrier.
Westwood
provides unique flexibility in carrying varied cargo types on its specially
designed ConBulk vessels. With the combination of containerized goods and heavy
bulk cargoes, vessel draft can be an issue. Fortunately, the Columbia River
channel deepening project is nearing completion, bringing the channel from 40
to 43 feet.
“Completion
of the navigation channel improvements helped make this possible for us,” said
Guy Stephenson, President of Westwood Shipping Lines. “We welcome this
opportunity to expand our service and support our customer base.”
Not only
does the new service answer an immediate need expressed by regional exporters,
it supports President Obama’s national export initiative. The President’s
executive order calls for doubling U.S. exports over the next 5 years.
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About
Westwood Shipping Lines
Since
1982, Westwood Shipping Lines has been serving customers in more than 20 ports
in Japan, Korea, China and North America. With a fixed-day weekly sailing
schedule, the service provides predictable, on-time transportation alternatives
for forest products, containerized and oversized cargo. Westwood is a wholly-owned subsidiary
of Weyerhaeuser Company.
About
the Port of Portland
Established in 1891 by the Oregon legislature, the Port of
Portland owns four marine terminals, three airports (Portland International,
Hillsboro, and Troutdale) and four industrial parks. The mission of the Port is
to enhance the region's economy and quality of life by providing efficient
cargo and air passenger access to national and global markets.