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Hanjin Steps in Just in Time by Staff KGW.com, October 22, 2004

Good news for Oregon and southwest Washington farmers.

Exporting their goods to Japan and the rest of Asia got a lifeline it thought was gone when the last of the K-Line ships out of the Port of Portland in December.

Now, 12 Hanjin ships will rotate between Asia and the U.S. West Coast, with a once a week stop in Portland.

“The stop in Japan is enormously important that is the most important of our trading partners,” said Bill Wyatt, Port executive director.

Larger ships will carry about 1,500 more 20-foot containers per trip. That will increase capacity by 37 percent.

“We’ll probably be able, if we can reach agreement with Hanjin, (be able to ship) 50 to maybe 100 containers a week,” said Del Allen of All Ports Forwarding.

The new service feeds the Port’s new import strategy. Fred Meyer will use Portland as a its major distribution point for all its stories rather than importing an then transporting goods from Southern California docks.

“We’re really looking forward to the extra capacity,” said Joel Halloran for Fred Meyer stores.

New equipment will be added next year, such as the Panamax Tower, which will increase productivity. It’s an investment of about $10 million. The plan is to move product in and move product out, Wyatt said.

Hanjin is one of the Port’s oldest partners. It’s counting on the planned channel dredging to expand container capacity in the future in order to make this venture seaworthy.

Hanjin’s new service begins Nov. 18. It will be just in time. K-Line will discontinue its service from Portland to Japan in December.