BNSF rail service extended at Port of Portland

The Port of Portland is continuing its Terminal 6 service with BNSF Railway Co. through mid-2019, as part of a larger focus to increase options to shippers at Terminal 6, port officials announced this week.

The intermodal rail service, which began in January, moves containers by rail between Portland and the ports of Seattle and Tacoma, Washington. Goods are loaded from rail on or off ocean carriers, with three carriers using the service in Washington, port officials said in a press release.

Among the items moved by container on the service include wood products, grass seed, hay, vegetables and consumer goods.

"Moving products by rail is proving to be a successful way to assist shippers in our region," said Keith Leavitt, the port's chief commercial officer. "The rail is also a time-saving alternative for some shippers, who face delays from truck congestion at ports to the north."

In January, a consultant study concluded the most viable business model for Terminal 6 is a multi-use terminal that offers shippers options for moving their goods.