Shippers credited for new service in Tampa

Shippers credited for new service in Tampa    Lobbying efforts from Tampa-area shippers played a critical role in persuading Zim Integrated Shipping to make a direct call at the Port of Tampa with the carrier's new Asia-Gulf Direct Service.
   Port officials said after the first call by Zim on Thursday that the Executive Shippers Council, an association of central Florida importers and exporters, proved to be a driving force behind the new service.
   An increasing population base and the expansion of distribution centers in the area have also fueled demand for direct shipping services, port officials noted, but the Shippers Council was the specific factor that attracted the first direct service from Asia.
   Zim-American Integrated Shipping Services vice president of sales and marketing, Tom Keene, added that local shippers were backing up their pitch for the new service.
   “The response from importers and exporters to the launch of the AGX has been phenomenal and exceeded our expectations,” he commented. “We see great opportunities for growth in Tampa.”
   Port officials also noted the port had made significant investments in the Hooker's Point Container Terminal, including the purchase of three gantry cranes, and brought in P&O Ports North America to handle containerized cargo.