OLYMPIA PORT SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH SHORT LINE

OLYMPIA PORT SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH SHORT LINE    The Washington state Port of Olympia has signed a 10-year agreement with short-line railroad Tri-City and Olympia to improve the flow of cargo from ships to the national rail networks of Burlington Northern-Santa Fe and Union Pacific.
   Under the agreement, Tri-City and Olympia will lease the two miles of port-owned track that connects with tracks of BNSF and UP. The short line will provide service five days a week with multiple switchings daily. The railroad will also provide weekend and on-call services as necessary.
   The agreement also calls for an increase in service to a minimum of 1,000 railcars a year to 5,000 cars as new business developments.
   “It establishes a strategic business development and marketing partnership that will help us attract new customers to port shipping facilities,” said Bob Van Schoorl, port commissioner at Olympia. “The ability to efficiently move a variety of bulk and breakbulk cargoes opens up the opportunity for the port to again become a desirable international gateway.”
   Short-line service were provided by BNSF once or twice a week. “The schedule inhibited business operations of some port customers and contributed to a decline in railcar traffic to fewer than 200 cars annually,” the port said.
   The Tri-City and Olympia is already busy moving Russian aluminum ingots five days a week from the port’s terminal yard for distribution to a smelter in eastern Washington. The ingots are delivered to the port by Russian liner carrier, Far Eastern Shipping Co. (FESCO).