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Last Container Ship Calls the Portland OR Port

May 21, 2016 has marked the official end of container shipping at the Port of Portland.

Westwood Shipping Lines, the last container shipping company still utilizing the port, had been maintaining a meager monthly service to Japan and Korea. Westwood ends its service more than a year after larger carriers Hanjin Shipping and Hapag-Lloyd terminated their weekly services.

The Portland port has become unattractive to carriers due to its lack of size. As carriers have switched more and more to the mega-style ships the port simply does not have the depth to receive such ships. Carriers have since relied on offering service over the Washington ports (Seattle & Tacoma) in order to accommodate the larger ships. This of course has been bad news for local Oregon exporters as the roughly 175 miles to truck goods from Portland to Seattle has put a dent into the profitability of the this market.

Perhaps there will be a return to service in the future, but it seems unlikely in the short term unless a restructuring of the port can be accomplished.

For competitive export pricing solutions from the Oregon area please contact: Pricing@scarbrough-intl.com