BNSF News

BNSF Collaborates with Ports, Rail to Promote United States' Western Ports

2009-11-16

Representatives from six major U.S. West Coast ports and two railroads -- including BNSF -- met at the World Shipping (China) Summit 2009 on Nov. 12-13 to announce a collaboration promoting West Coast ports.

The World Shipping Summit, held in Qingdao, China, brought together approximately 800 leaders and customers of the maritime industry, including ocean carriers, beneficial cargo owners and marine terminals and intermodal operators.

BNSF participated as a member of the U.S. West Coast Collaboration (USWCC). The newly formed collaboration is made up of the major West Coast container ports: Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, Oakland, Long Beach and Los Angeles. The USWCC showcased the benefits of the West Coast as a premier region for trans-Pacific trade. U.S. West Coast ports handle about 70 percent of all containerized trade between the Asia and the U.S.

"BNSF and the other members of the U.S. West Coast Collaboration are committed to helping shippers get more from their supply chains," said John Lanigan, executive vice president and chief marketing officer. "At BNSF, we have an efficient rail network that delivers more goods, to more markets quickly and with less environmental impact than all-water alternatives."

The concept behind the collaboration began early in 2009 when the top leadership of the ports met to discuss ways to take advantage of their combined resources, experience and proximity to Asia. They invited the railroads to join the collaboration because of the significant role the railroads play in connecting American markets with global markets.

The USWCC's presentation at the WSS is part of an effort to communicate globally the trade advantages of using U.S. West Coast ports. Future growth looks promising as officials talked about the growth in population in the U.S. and the anticipated American consumer demand for imports during the next two decades.

BNSF Headquarters

For more information on the company and its transportation solutions, visit the BNSF Web site at www.bnsf.com