By Jite Eriabie
APM Terminals Tacoma, part of Maersk Group’s terminal operator APM Terminals, has shut down its operations on September 30, 2017 and transferred the lease to Seattle-based SSA Marine.
The SSA Marine container terminal operator has formed a new joint venture with Matson Lines, called SSAT, which started operations on October 2, 2017.
Matson revealed its Tacoma plans in April this year, saying that it would switch to SSA Terminals for stevedoring and terminal services at the Port of Tacoma from 2018 onward.
APM Terminals said that the Tacoma lease was set to expire December 31, 2017 and the contractual language allowed the lease transfer.
“We are proud of the service we have been able to provide to our customers, the Port of Tacoma and the Seaport Alliance, and the safety performance recognition consistently received by the Pacific Maritime Association,” said Wim Lagaay, Head of the USA and Europe Portfolio for APM Terminals.
APM Terminals Tacoma was used primarily by the Matson Alaska Service, with twice-weekly sailings between Tacoma, Anchorage and Kodiak, Alaska, and a weekly service between Tacoma and Dutch Harbor, Alaska, handling a combined 190,000 TEUs in 2016.
APM Terminals’ US portfolio includes operations at APM Terminals Pier 400 Los Angeles, APM Terminals Port Elizabeth at the Port of New York & New Jersey; APM Terminals Mobile, Alabama; and a 49% share in the South Florida Container Terminal, at the Port of Miami, Florida.
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