1. From Schednet (Feb. 24, 2014) “Portland offers Hanjin US $ 20/box to keep line calling at port”

“With South Korea’s Hanjin Shipping accounting for 80 per cent of the Port of Portland’s container throughput of 14,000 TEU per month, port commissioners have voted to approve a cash incentive scheme to retain its largest shipping line customer.

“The offer to pay Hanjin Shipping and other carriers including Hamburg Sud and Hapag-Lloyd, US $ 20 per container moved through Portland comes as Hanjin has been threatening to pull services due to escalating costs and labor disruptions. The Oregon port will pay a further $ 25 per container for additional boxes above a predetermined level, up to a limit of $ 4 million during the course of the one-year scheme, reported Lloyd’s List.

“At present Hanjin Shipping’s weekly Pacific Northwest Express service calls at the port while Hamburg Sud and Hapag-Lloyd jointly operate a Mediterranean-Pacific loop that calls at Portland.
It is not known whether the incentive program will entice Hanjin to continue its weekly Pacific-Northwest Express service, but port officials believe the incentive is a basic requirement.

“Portland’s Terminal 6 concession is run by Philippines-based International Container Terminal Services, Inc. and was ICTSI’s first foray into a developed market.” –

2. From Cargo Business Newswire (Feb. 24, 2104)”Evergreen to join existing CKYHE Alliance”

“Evergreen Line will join COSCO, K Line, Yangmin, and Hanjin to establish a shipping alliance on the trades between Asia and Europe, including the Mediterranean region, to be called the CKYHE Alliance, according to a joint statement from the shipping lines.

“The CKYHE Alliance said they will formally start March 1, 2014, subject to regulatory compliance. The group will commence operations in mid-April with six joint services operating between Asia and Northern Europe and four loops committed to the Asia-Mediterranean route.

“CKYHE members say they will continually review services on the Asia-Northern Europe and Asia-Mediterranean trades in order to optimize their efficiency and to enhance their service quality.

“The Alliance expects operational efficiencies will strengthen their members’ environmental stewardship, and will continue to implement measures like slow steaming to minimize bunker consumption.” –

[1. Hanjin lost $ 100 million last year. 2 or 3 million dollars oughtta cover that. Yeah, right.

2. And if you believe that Evergreen’s move has anything to do with “environmental stewardship” or minimizing “bunker consumption”, we have a bridge in Brooklyn we’d like to sell you.]