Haifa: Zim Integrated Shipping Services says it has not suspended its operations at the ports of Oakland and Long Beach, USA, and has no plans to.
"There has been no change in Zim's services in Oakland or on the West Coast," a spokesman for Zim told GulfShip News. "The company is still providing the highest level of service to its customers in this region and everywhere else."
A spokesperson from the Port of Oakland confirmed this, telling GulfShip News that Zim has given no word that it plans to suspend its calls at the Port.
Last week, Israel’s biggest shipping line was erroneously reported to have temporarily suspended its shipping service to the port of Long Beach, but the service has operated as normal.
A Zim spokesman said the line’s operations and shipments have not been impacted by protests by pro-Palestinian campaign groups such as the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement or the Block the Boat movement. Both groups have attempted to disrupt Zim shipments in recent months by staging protests at American ports.
Oakland has so far been the only port in the area where Zim ships have encountered problems unloading. GulfShip News reported on October 10 that Zim was considering dropping Oakland from its US port calls.
The Israeli line signed a partnership agreement in May with Hapag-Lloyd. The German carrier’s Med Pacific Service ships now assist Zim’s shipments to the US West Coast. The lack of Zim-branded vessels calling at the port has led some to believe the service has been disrupted.
US-based wine shipper Freixenet USA says it has ceased to use Zim as a carrier, in response to pressure from Block the Boat campaign activists. [26/11/14]
