By Mark Edward Nero
On July 13, a red 2015 Forester became the one-millionth Subaru vehicle to cross the docks at the Port of Vancouver USA.
The SUV was one of 2,077 vehicles arriving after a two-week journey from Japan. Representatives with the port, Subaru of America and various logistics partners, including carriers, labor, stevedores, vessel agents, and transportation providers, were on hand to greet the landmark vehicle and celebrate the long partnership between the port and carmaker.
Subaru of America signed its first lease with the Port of Vancouver in December 1992. Port leadership and the community commemorated the first Subaru vehicle, an Impreza wagon, during a dockside event on Jan. 7, 1993.
“Our 21-year partnership with Subaru is not only important to us here at the port, but also to the community,” port CEO Todd Coleman said. “Roughly $300 from every vehicle delivered to the port gets reinvested in Washington and Oregon.”
Automobile imports generate the most revenue of all commodities handled at the Port of Vancouver. About 200 ports jobs are supported by automobile delivery and processing, including workers who drive vehicles off the ships, process them for sale in the US, install accessories and prepare them for transport.
This summer, the port and Subaru reached an agreement to continue partnering through 2035.
