Maritime Gateway Seeking Private Operator
A coalition focused on maritime shipping, led by the Port of Portland, is seeking state funding to sustain Oregon’s sole international container terminal as it looks for a private operator to manage the financially struggling facility.
On August 23, the port and its stakeholders presented a proposal to Governor Tina Kotek, emphasizing the importance of container shipping through Terminal 6 for local businesses. The plan calls for public investment to ensure continued services while the port pursues a private operator under a landlord model.
“Ensuring that container service remains available to Oregonians and businesses throughout the region—whether in the seafood, grain, or animal feed sectors, or those selling building supplies, tires, shoes, and toys—requires both public and private investment,” stated Curtis Robinhold, Executive Director of the Port of Portland. “This is a critical component of Oregon’s economy and it urgently needs state financial support to keep serving shippers across the state.”
Kotek requested a business plan following her commitment in May to sustain services at Terminal 6, subsidized by the port despite facing years of significant financial deficits. Her proposed biennial budget for 2025-27 includes $35 million for capital investments and channel maintenance on the lower Columbia River, along with $5 million in operational funding from the Oregon Emergency Board this fall.
The report garners support from various stakeholders, including major supermarket operator Kroger, apparel importer Columbia Sportswear, and labor representatives.
“Container service not only provides hundreds of local jobs but also supports many more in related industries and communities,” remarked Leal Sundet, Secretary of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 8, representing most of the terminal’s workforce. “The wages earned by these workers are spent in local markets, benefiting shippers and industries throughout the state. Container service is fundamental to the region’s economy.”
The port’s plan underscores the necessity of significant state investment and unspecified operational efficiencies from the shipping industry, as it cannot continue to absorb ongoing losses. According to the report, the marine container service supports approximately 1,500 jobs and contributes around $20 million in state and local tax revenues each year.
The Port of Portland has reached agreements on new rates with container shipping companies and secured labor efficiencies with the ILWU, as well as reduced fees with Harbor Industrial, the terminal’s container stevedore.
Additionally, the port is collaborating with the coalition’s advisory council to explore further solutions, including innovative marketing strategies and initiatives aimed at doubling container volumes within the next five to seven years. Both immediate and long-term state investments could mitigate the substantial financial shortfall the port anticipates over the next year, facilitating efforts toward operational stability.
The proposed funding request must receive legislative approval in September and during the 2025 Legislative Session.
