WASHINGTON: Hanjin Shipping vessels returned to the port of Oakland for the first time since the container carrier filed for bankruptcy August 31. The Port of Oakland said the Hanjin Greece berthed the afternoon of September 14 followed the next day by the Hanjin Boston. The container ships are among the first Hanjin vessels to berth at U.S. ports this month. The Hanjin Greece had earlier berthed at the port of Long Beach. The vessels called at the Oakland International Container Terminal on Oakland Estuary.
“For the sake of customers with cargo on those ships, we’re glad this day has finally come,” said Chris Lytle, executive director of the Port of Oakland. “Businesses can’t operate with products stuck at sea.” Seoul-based Hanjin’s global vessel network has been idle for two weeks while the firm sought protection from creditors. Two ships broke that logjam last week with calls in Southern California.
Hanjin Shipping filed for bankruptcy in a South Korean court August 31. Since then, Hanjin ships have been frozen out of world ports and three of its vessels were seized. An estimated $14 billion in cargo is reported stranded at sea aboard Hanjin vessels, $38 million belonging to Samsung Electronics. Besides the calls at the California ports, it’s also been reported that 10 Hanjin ships have been accepted at the port of Jebel Ali in Dubai. Jebel Ali operator DP World announced that it is working with customers to minimize disruption resulting from Hanjin’s bankruptcy at its flagship port.
According to port of Oakland data, the Hanjin Greece discharged around 450 loaded import containers in Oakland. The Boston unloaded about 64 import boxes. The port said that no export or empty containers were loaded back on the ships. Terminal officials have said they’ll conduct vessel operations despite Hanjin’s bankruptcy filing. The terminal added that it’s releasing Hanjin import containers to customers if it receives advance payment for cargo-handling. Port of Oakland officials said they don’t expect Hanjin’s bankruptcy to dampen long-term cargo volume growth. It said Hanjin customers can use competing shipping lines if the Korean carrier’s ships are unavailable.
