The first delivery of nearly 2,000 Hyundai vehicles recently arrived at the Port of Tacoma’s South Harbor on the vessel Grand Mercury, thanks to a new partnership between logistics service GLOVIS America, shipping company Wallenius Wilhelmsen Solutions and the Northwest Seaport Alliance, it was announced Sept. 23.
The partnership is expected to significantly bolster finished vehicles and breakbulk operations, and more business to local partners, the NWSA said.
“The GLOVIS America consolidation expands upon a longstanding partnership between GLOVIS America and NWSA at the Port of Tacoma,” NWSA Managing Member John McCarthy said. “In addition to Kias, many thousands of Hyundais will begin to be imported and processed at the WWS facility in Tacoma each year, increasing automobile volumes and job opportunities in our gateway.”
GLOVIS, founded in 2002, went through a competitive selection process to find a point of entry gateway for Kia and Hyundai vehicles and to find space to grow with more auto customers, NWSA said. South Harbor is already the port of entry for Kia vehicles processed by Auto Warehousing Co.
“GLOVIS America sought out a strategic gateway that could provide superior customer service as well as the resources to handle both the Kia and Hyundai automobile business now and into the future,” said Jason Woo, president and CEO of GLOVIS Americas. “The Tacoma harbor was the clear choice.”