PRESS RELEASE: POL suspends container on barge service, April 8, 2015
[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]The Port of Lewiston announced April 8, 2015 that container on barge service would be suspended until further notice.
On April 7, 2015, Hapag-Lloyd, the Port of Portland’s last remaining major steamship line, made the decision for a permanent omission of the Port of Portland effective the end of March 2015. Hapag-Lloyd represented approximately 90% of the Port of Lewiston’s container volume.
Container on barge volume represents approximately 15% of cargo tonnage leaving the Port of Lewiston. However, the loss of container on barge service will have a significant impact to the region. Pea and lentil industry customers have expressed concern that inland transportation costs could increase by 60% to 100% over the next several months due to worsening truck shortages and reduced intermodal transportation competition. The Port of Lewiston is working with customers, rail lines and barge lines to identify transportation alternatives.
The suspension of container on barge service will not impact regional bulk grain shipments, which are at historic levels with approximately 22.9 million bushels exported in 2014.
The Port of Lewiston employs four full-time container yard personnel. Suspension of barge service will cause the reduction of two full-time positions and reduce one full-time position to part-time. One full time position will be retained to service warehouse customers and provide facilities maintenance improvements. The part-time position will be retained to provide Port bookkeeping functions and assist in developing intermodal transportation projects.
The Port of Lewiston is a multi-modal, multi-dimensional economic development agency. Businesses associated with properties owned or developed by the Port are responsible for approximately $390 million in direct regional spending and 1,840 direct jobs.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_button title=”Download Press Release” target=”_self” color=”wpb_button” icon=”none” size=”wpb_regularsize” href=”http://portoflewiston.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/CYXSuspensionXNewsXReleaseXAprilX8X2015.pdf”][/vc_column][/vc_row]