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Oregon governor urges Asian shipping executives to use Port of Portland

US Governor of Oregon Kate Brown has headed up a trade mission to Asia that included meetings with container shipping company executives in a bid to attract container shipping services to call at the port of Portland's marine terminal.

During her trip, Governor Brown and executive director of the port of Portland Curtis Robinhold met executives from Cathay Pacific and shipping company Swire in Hong Kong. Swire owns Cathay Pacific Airways, which started air cargo service to the port last year, reported Oregonian.

"We know providing northwest shippers with access to markets is critical for our region," Port of Portland spokesman Steve Johnson, wrote in an email. "We met with several carriers in Asia to discuss our plans to get Terminal six up and running again."

If Swire or another company decides to start container service at the port of Portland, Oregon's government could offer concessions to sweeten the deal. The port and state offered Cathay Pacific a US$1.3 million incentive package to start air cargo service to Oregon, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.

Ms Brown also paid a visit to Japan, where she held a conference call with reporters. In response to a question about the port's empty marine terminal, Ms Brown said the delegation was working on the issue.

"Mr Robinhold from the port is here with us, and they're meeting and talking with potential shippers as well in terms of Terminal six," Ms Brown said. Asked if the goal of the meetings was to land new container carriers, Ms Brown said: "Absolutely."

Oregon has been without container shipping since last year, when the last carrier called it quits. Other companies had abandoned the port over the years as the shipping industry changed. Starting in 2012, a labour standoff idled the terminal and left Oregon farmers struggling to get their goods to market.