New tonnage and job security for Seafarers both received a boost recently with the entry of three U.S.-flag vessels into the SIU-contracted Horizon Lines fleet.
Two of the vessels, the Horizon Hawk and the Horizon Hunter, called on the port of Tacoma, Wash. March 30 and April 6, respectively, following their voyages from the Far East. The third vessel, the Horizon Eagle, entered service April 10. The remaining two vessels, the Horizon Falcon and the Horizon Tiger, are slated to enter service by the end of this month.
Horizon last year chartered the five U.S.-flag vessels for 12-year terms from subsidiaries of Ship Finance International, Ltd in order to replace and add to the platforms already in its current fleet. All five of the Hunter class vessels are of proven international design and have a service speed of 23 knots. The vessels—each a 2,824 TEU (20-foot equivalent unit) containership—were built by South Korea-based Hyundai Mipo Dockyard.The maiden voyage of the Hawk in March officially launched Horizon’s enhanced Transpacific-1 (TP1) service between the mainland United States, Guam, Micronesia and Asia. This new tonnage upgraded the carrier’s previous TP1 component that served the lane with five Jones Act-qualified vessels. (The Jones Act covers ocean cargo services to and from Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, as well as cargo moving between other U.S. origin and destination ports, ensuring those cargoes are carried on vessels crewed, built, flagged and owned American.)
Redeploying the carrier’s Jones Act vessels from previous TP1 service to trade routes that require the U.S.-built vessels provides additional capacity and adequate ships to meet the future needs of Horizon Lines’ customers well into the future, a company news release said. The introduction of this new tonnage also allows the company’s other Jones Act vessels to be available as reserve capacity to meet seasonal and dry-dock needs, as well as to respond to potential new opportunities such as coastwise container services.
Once all of the new tonnage is in place (expected by this July), Horizon Lines will be operating at least 17 Seafarers-crewed vessels—a net gain of one ship, according to a Horizon Lines spokesman. The company added that the possibility exists that they will find business for one or more ships currently scheduled for lay-up.
By July, Horizon Lines’ ships are slated to be deployed as follows: Two will sail from Tacoma to Hawaii; four will sail from Tacoma to Alaska; five (the newest ships) will sail on the Transpacific route (Tacoma, Oakland, Hawaii, Guam, Hong Kong and Kaohsiung); two will sail from California to Hawaii; one will sail from Elizabeth, N.J. to San Juan; two will sail from Jacksonville to San Juan; and one will sail from Houston to San Juan.
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