HYUNDAI BRINGS LARGER CONTAINERSHIPS TO PORTLAND

HYUNDAI BRINGS LARGER CONTAINERSHIPS TO PORTLAND    Hyundai Merchant Marine Co. today begins serving the Port of Portland with larger containerships in a service operated with space-sharing partners Singapore-based APL and Tokyo-based MOL.
   Hyundai's new ships, about 30-percent larger than the previous ships used in the transpacific service, will enable the service to add three Asian port calls — Shanghai, Nagoya and Tokyo. The service has called Yokohama, Busan, Kaoshiung and Hong Kong.
   The new schedule is significant because 'this will be our first weekly vessel call between Portland and the China port of Shanghai, which is a destination of growing importance to Pacific Northwest businesses,' said Tony Galati, Portland general manager for the South Korea-based Hyundai.
   Hyundai has provided regular weekly containership service to Portland since 1988.