Swire Shipping has appointed SSA Terminals as its container terminal operator for the ports of Seattle, Long Beach, and Oakland.
The multi-year agreement complements Swire Shipping’s continued investment into the North American market, enhancing the capabilities of its recently acquired Westwood liner trades, as well as those of its US West Coast to Pacific Island trade (formerly known as Polynesia Line) and Sun Chief Express Ocean Service.
In particular, the use of SSA’s Terminal 18 (T-18), the largest container facility in the Pacific Northwest, will add extensive on-dock rail options, shorten transit times, and improve consistency for Swire Shipping clients with inland connectivity requirements via Seattle. In addition, the use of T-18’s on-dock rail will enable Swire Shipping customers to access a wider range of origins and destinations, such as to and from the Ohio Valley.
The agreement marks the continuation of a longstanding relationship between Swire Shipping and SSA Terminals.
Headquartered in Singapore and connecting over 400 ports, Swire Shipping provides several high frequency liner shipping services in the Asia Pacific markets; integrated logistics solutions in the Pacific; transpacific services between North Asia and the Pacific Northwest; and specialist shipping services to the global project logistics market under the brand name, Swire Projects.
Ben Pike, Chief Operating Officer for Swire Shipping, said: “SSA Terminals has an excellent reputation for safety and performance within our business, and this proven track record is an important consideration as we look to continuously enhance our market leading services in North America. Underpinned by a strong Interior Point Intermodal (IPI) program and the on-dock rail capabilities of T-18, this agreement will also enable us to provide more choices to our customers and help them to build even greater reliability and efficiency into their supply chains.”