As South Korea seeks free trade agreements around the world, the country’s leading carmaker isn’t waiting for tariffs to fall as it continues to export to foreign markets.
Next Monday sees the first delivery of Hyundai-Kia vehicles to the US port of San Diego under a new three-year agreement between Pasha Automotive Services (PAS), a subsidiary of logistics provider The Pasha Group, and Glovis America, a US division of the South Korean logistics provider for Hyundai Kia based in Costa Mesa, California.
The agreement is expected to see 50,000 of the vehicles delivered per year through the PAS’s National City Marine Terminal.
The first shipment of 1,947 vehicles – 1,418 Kias and 529 Hyundais – will be made by Eukor, the carmaker’s principle carrier. PAS will provide processing operations for all vehicles prior to their shipment onto inland port storage facilities.
“We will be doing basic processing on the vehicles, including inspection, paint and body repair, placing of literature in vehicles and rail loading,” Pasha Group’s Director of Corporate Communications, Joelle Vossbrink, told Automotive Logistics.
A further 1,275 vehicles are expected on 4 August, comprising 1,028 Kias and 247 Hyundais, though this number was awaiting confirmation this week.
In a related development at the port, Eukor has signed a contract with Pasha Stevedoring & Terminals (PST) to provide stevedoring services following Pasha’s success in offloading Kias from Eukor’s Morning Menad at the Port of Grays Harbor, in Washington (read more here).
“The shipping line has reviewed our vessel reporting system and terminal operations in San Diego and enthusiastically endorses PST as the stevedore of choice,” said Pasha’s President and CEO George Pasha, IV.
