ZIM Returns to Seattle

By Karen Robes Meeks

This month, the world’s 11th biggest container shipping company ZIM returned to the Northwest Seaport Alliance’s North Harbor with the arrival of ZIM Ningbo.

ZIM, which is making its first regular call at NWSA since spring 2017, has joined the 2M trans-Pacific service calling at Terminal 46 in Seattle, Wash. The company will have four vessels in the weekly ZP9 service, providing more capacity to serve the NWSA gateway.

“We are proud to welcome ZIM back to our family of steamship lines calling at the Northwest Seaport Alliance,” said Port of Seattle Commissioner Courtney Gregoire. “This new weekly service and the cargo it brings means good-paying jobs and revenue for our region.”

This service will travel to ports in Kaohsiung, Xiamen, Yantian, Ningbo, Shanghai, Pusan, Vancouver, B.C., Seattle, Yokohama, Pusan and Kaohsiung.

“ZIM is looking forward to bringing our vessels back to the Northwest Seaport Alliance’s North Harbor, enabling us to expand our service capability in this important market,” said Elise Ha, vice president of West Coast Branch, ZIM USA. “We appreciate the partnership with the NWSA and their high level of customer focus and look forward to growing our relationship.”

Israel Corp CEO Named Chair of Zim Board

The Board of Directors of Zim Integrated Shipping Services has appointed Nir Gilad to serve as Chairman of the Zim board, according to a notification to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange by Zim parent firm Israel Corporation Ltd.

Gilad, an accountant and former budget minister for the Israeli government and current CEO of Israel Corp., succeeds Idan Ofer who is stepping down at the end of his five-year term as chairman. Ofer's family remain the largest shareholders of Israel Corp., with Ofer himself owning 3.9 percent of the firm's stock, Ofer Holdings owning 2.9 percent and the Ofer family-controlled Millennium Investments Elad owning 46.9 percent.

Gilad takes the helm of Zim's board less than two weeks after the shipping firm reported a third quarter loss of $208 million and a month after Zim shareholders approved a restructuring plan that includes raising $450 million in cash by selling stock rights in the firm.