Portland port names Swire Shipping terminal operator

Swire Shipping will begin a container shipping service in January at the Port of Portland's Terminal 6, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced Monday.

The new shipping option is part of a larger goal to ensure Oregon regional shippers have access to global markets, according to a press release issued by Brown's office.

Swire's agreement with the port follows Brown's recent trade mission to Hong Kong, where she and port officials met with Swire corporate executives.

The new service announcement also comes more than a year after a bitter labor dispute between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 8 and ICTSI, the company that formerly operated the port's only international container terminal. The port ended its relationship with ICTSI this spring.

The arrangement with Swire is a critical first step toward restarting container service at Terminal 6, and will aid in efforts to attract additional service, port officials said.

"The port is focused on giving our local shippers a variety of options to move their goods efficiently," said Curtis Robinhold, the port's executive director. "Most importantly, this signals that T-6 is open for business."