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Hay Shipments Head Downriver Again by Staff East Oregonian, May 20, 2005

BOARDMAN - Dock workers loaded the first shipments from the Port of Morrow this week for ZIM Integrated Shipping Services.

Tidewater Terminal Co. workers loaded containers of livestock feed onto a Tidewater barge at Terminal 3, said Lisa Mittelsdorf, the port's economic development director.

Greg Zanavich of Tidewater Barge Lines said the new business is welcome.

"We've got a better opportunity to move more containers up and down the river," he said.

ZIM is soliciting cargoes for Japan, Zanavich said, which is good news for Northwest exporters. After the Port of Portland lost two trans-Pacific shippers in 2004, Zanavich said, more than half of Tidewater's cargo was diverted to trucks and trains en route to Seattle-Tacoma.

ZIM is an Israeli ocean carrier that has started calling at the Port of Portland. It offers weekly container service to Korea, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Israel, Greece, Romania and Turkey. ZIM also provides delivery to other countries in Asia and the Mediterranean.

"Our customers prefer barges because of the reliability of weekly service and the cost," Zanavich said, adding that barging cargo is about half the cost of other modes.

Among Tidewater's customers is Oregon Hay of Boardman, which ships livestock feed in pellets and compressed bales, Zanavich said.

"Of special interest to exporters using the Port of Morrow is service via Busan, Korea, to ports in Japan," Mittelsdorf said. "Japan is the final destination for the majority of cargo shipped from the Boardman area. This is an important development for local importers and exporters since there has been insufficient ocean carrier service calling Portland to handle their needs."

Gary Neal, port manager, said he is pleased that ZIM containers are moving through the Port of Morrow.

"This is a win for the Port of Portland, the Port of Morrow and local shippers," he said.

Mittelsdorf said the port has applied for a Connect Oregon grant to make improve its multi-modal freight terminal. Grants are expected to be announced in July.