SM Line, an affiliate in the shipping institutional sector of SM Group, said on the 28th that it met with Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and discussed ways to cooperate on sustainable shipping services.
The meeting took place on the 27th at SM Group's Sinchon headquarters in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, and was attended by SM Line CEO Kang Ho-joon, Gov. Kotek, Port of Portland Executive Director Curtis Robinhold, and other officials.
SM Line is the only ocean-going liner among Korean shipping companies to call at the Port of Portland in Oregon. Since launching the service in 2019, the port has recorded an annual import and export cargo volume of 52,000 TEU (1 TEU = one 20 ft container).
SM Line shuttles among major ports on the U.S. West Coast, transporting container volumes of auto parts, batteries, chemicals, furniture, home appliances, and agricultural products, and at the Port of Portland it mainly carries hay, a representative export item of Oregon.
In recognition of these contributions, in Oct. 2022 it received a plaque of appreciation from the state of Oregon for helping promote trade, and earlier that year in May it also won the "Global Leadership Award," organized by Oregon's honorary consular corps.
CEO Kang Ho-joon said, "The Port of Portland is a key hub for SM Line to provide stable logistics services in the U.S. Pacific Northwest," adding, "We will continue to work to lead trade and economic revitalization between Korea and the United States based on close mutual cooperation and trust with the state of Oregon and the Port of Portland."
Gov. Kotek said, "SM Line's service to Portland has become an important turning point in Oregon's logistics revival, which in turn has brought more vitality to the regional economy centered on the port," adding, "We greatly value the long-standing partnership we have built with SM Line from the perspective of Oregon's prosperity and development."