On Aug. 23, the Port of Portland, backed by a coalition of stakeholders dedicated to marine container shipping in Oregon, delivered to Gov. Tina Kotek a business plan outlining how to maintain container service at Terminal 6, the state’s only international container terminal.
The report illustrates how essential marine container shipping at T6 is to Oregon businesses, and in its findings, underscores the need for public investment to keep container shipping in service as the port continues seeking a third-party operator.
Kotek requested the business plan following her pledge to provide financial support to maintain container service, which the port has subsidized despite significant financial losses over many years.
Key takeaways from the report include:
- Marine container service is a critical piece of the region’s economy, from the 1,500 family-wage jobs it creates to the $20 million in state and local tax revenue it generates each year.
- To protect these benefits, the Port of Portland has sustained financial losses due to factors outside of its control – but it cannot continue to do so without a significant investment from the state.
- Sustaining and growing Oregon’s ocean container service requires financial support from the state and cost efficiencies from partners in the shipping industry.
The port, which in mid-April said that it was halting cargo handling services at Terminal 6 later this year due to a funding shortfall, reversed its decision weeks later following a new cash infusion from the Oregon state Legislature.
A proposal issued May 16 by Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek’s included $35 million for the port from her 2025-2027 proposed budget and $5 million in funding that’s expected to be requested at the September meeting of the state Legislature’s Emergency Board.
Any expenditures would require lawmakers’ approval in September and during the 2025 Legislative Session.
