Port of Portland to stop Terminal 6 container services in October

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Nearly three months after requesting additional funding from the state, the Port of Portland has announced that container terminal services will end in the fall.

As the only international container terminal in Oregon, Terminal 6 has contributed to the state economy by handling imports and exports from businesses locally and globally.

But on Apr. 15, the Port’s Chief Trade and Economic Development Officer Keith Leavitt informed “industry stakeholders” that container business would stop on Oct. 1.

“We know that this terminal is a critical statewide asset – it is worthy of further discussions to come up with a financially sustainable business model for container service that has significantly more state funding and investment,” Leavitt wrote in a letter. “For now, we have run out of financial options and must take this step.”

Executive Director Curtis Robinhold asked state leaders for $10 million to support container operations on Jan. 16. According to the letter, Port officials had known Terminal 6’s budget would be $14 million short this year, since mid-2023.

Robinhold said the team had already taken “several critical steps” to address the lack of funding, such as negotiating rate increases with carriers, meeting with regional importers and exporters, and considering a long-term lease with a third-party operator.

The Port was still pursuing a third-party lease as of late March, but Leavitt has since said it “will not go forward at this time.”

Although container operations will end later this year, the Port's Trade and Economic Development Communications Manager Kara Hansen told KOIN 6 the site will remain a working marine terminal.

“There is a lot of cargo handled there, including both imported and exported autos and break bulk – large, heavy cargo that requires a lot of space to ship,” Hansen said in an email. “Both the autos and break bulk businesses provide jobs and labor partnerships at T6.”