Mar 3, 2010 10:27 AM

Horizon Lines Inc has reached a binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) with APM Terminals North America for a new six-year US terminal services agreement, effective immediately. The prior agreement with APMT was scheduled to expire December 10, 2010.

The MOU applies to stevedoring and terminal services provided to Horizon Lines by APMT in Jacksonville FL, Houston TX, Los Angeles CA, Tacoma WA, and Elizabeth NJ through 2015, with an option to extend for two years. Horizon Lines has the option to exclude the Elizabeth terminal from the agreement if it chooses to serve the Northeast market from a port not in New York or New Jersey.

Horizon Lines also announced plans to commence in December 2010 its own weekly trans-Pacific liner service between Asia and the US West Coast. The new service will use the company’s five 2,824 20-foot-equivalent-unit (TEU) capacity, 23-knot, US flag Hunter-class containerships that currently call on Guam and continue on to China as part of a space-charter agreement with Maersk Line. In preparation for these plans, Horizon Lines and Maersk Line have mutually agreed not to renew their current Asia space-charter agreement when it expires December 10, 2010.

APMT and Maersk Line are divisions of the A P Moller-Maersk Group.

To support development of the new Asia service, Horizon Lines has named Brian Taylor senior vice-president, international services. He was formerly president and chief operating officer of Horizon Logistics LLC.