Korea's Hanjin Shipping Mulls Portland Pull-out

Manila's International Container Terminal Services Inc's (ICTSI), troubled venture in Portland, Oregon, faces more difficulties as its big customer, Hanjin Shipping, is pondering whether to leave the port for either Tacoma or Seattle, according to the 'China Logistics Portal'.

Portland has been plagued with labour problems, resulting in on-again off-again work slowdowns, which came from conflicting undertakings given to two unions over which union would supply reefer box monitors.

The Portland Port Authority contracted the work to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, while the employers' Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) had guaranteed all waterfront work to the ILWU.

Korea's Hanjin Shipping has been calling at Portland since 1994 and also at member of the CKYH alliance which links it with Cosco, "K" Line and Yang Ming, which together account for 80 per cent of the port's box volume, according to the China Logistics Portal.

Source: China Logistics Portal ( shippingazette.com)