Ocean Alliance Restored Tacoma Shipping Service
The Evergreen-operated HTW route has added Tacoma back to its rotation of Pacific port calls.
Updated on Sept. 27, 2026 in Transportation
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The Ocean Alliance has restored direct shipping coverage to the Pacific Northwest by adding Tacoma to its HTW service. This move reverses a decision made earlier this year to limit the route to California ports.
Why it matters
The restoration provides a vital direct connection between Asian markets and Tacoma, supporting regional trade efficiency. It restores a key shipping link that had been absent from the Pacific Northwest for several months.
The revised HTW rotation now includes 10 ports of call, expanding from the limited service that had only included Los Angeles and Oakland since the beginning of 2026.
The players
Ocean Alliance
This is a major global shipping consortium comprised of several international container lines that coordinates vessel sharing agreements.
Evergreen
Evergreen is a prominent international marine transportation company responsible for operating the HTW shipping service.
The details
The Evergreen-operated HTW service now features a route encompassing Laem Chabang, Cai Mep, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Yantian, Los Angeles, Oakland, and Tacoma. This change re-establishes a direct route for cargo between Asian ports and Tacoma after the city was removed from the rotation at the start of 2026.
Timeline
Tacoma was removed from the HTW service at the beginning of 2026.
The Ocean Alliance restored the Tacoma call to the HTW service in September 2026.
Market Landscape
This decision marks a strategic shift to restore regional connectivity following the 2026 HTW service rotation exclusion. By reintegrating Tacoma, the alliance optimizes its Pacific Northwest logistics against regional competitors.
Local businesses and regional exporters gain access to a direct shipping link that bypasses the need for secondary transit from California ports. This improvement may reduce lead times and logistics costs for goods moving between the Pacific Northwest and Asia.
The takeaway
Reliable direct shipping connections remain essential for the economic vitality of the Pacific Northwest trade corridor. Businesses should prepare for updated scheduling as the new rotation stabilizes at the Port of Tacoma.
Further reading
For more information on regional logistics, visit Tacoma Transportation.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Container News.
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