US liner operator Matson will quit the cooperation with logistics giant APM Terminals in the port of Tacoma to the benefit of local SSA Terminals.
After the existing contract with the subsidiary of maritime giant A.P. Møller Mærsk expires at the end of the year, Matson will chang[ds_preview]e the partner, the carrier announced. It has »elected to use its joint venture partner SSA Terminals for stevedoring and terminal services at the Port of Tacoma«, it was said.
This is a foil for APM‘s international strategy. »APMT has served us well. It just makes more sense to work with our strategic partner there as we do at all of our other terminals on the West Coast,« said Ron Forest, senior vice president – operations for Matson. »We expect a seamless transition and no change in our Tacoma operations from a customer standpoint.«
Currently, SSA Terminals is already in the lead on the Pacific Coast operating six terminals compared to two of APMT. From 2018, Matson will use SSA for its services from Tacoma to Alaska. The Northwest Seaport Alliance, where the port partners with the port of Seattle, saw steady growth in the last months.
