History



  • The F. Weyerhaeuser, a 140-foot sternwheeler built for towing logs, is christened by Weyerhaeuser and Denkman Company (a Midwest Partnership).

    1892

  • Weyerhaeuser Timber Company is established at Tacoma, Washington, after 900,000 acres of Northwest timberlands are purchased.

    1900

  • Weyerhaeuser's first ocean shipping operation is launched with purchase of two freighters, the Pomona and the Hanley, to carry lumber from the Northwest to the East Coast.

    1923

  • Weyerhaeuser Steamship Company establishes marine operations; headquarters moves from Tacoma to Newark, New Jersey.

    1933

  • Four ships are diverted on orders of the U.S. government to rush war supplies to British forces in Egypt; later, all eight of the company's vessels are requisitioned by the War Shipping Administration.

    1941

  • The Potlatch and the Heffron are sunk by torpedoes fired from German submarines.

    1942

  • Four World War II Liberty ships purchased for Weyerhaeuser return to intercoastal service.

    1947

  • Pacific Coast Direct Line is purchased; Weyerhaeuser Steamship moves from Newark to San Francisco.

    1950

  • Six Liberty ships are rehabilitated in the most extensive Liberty ship reconstruction to date.

    1961

  • Weyerhaeuser Line is established after Weyerhaeuser Steamship becomes a division of Weyerhaeuser Company.

    1962

  • Weyerhaeuser begins chartering logships to Japan following the Columbus Day 1962 windstorm, which left an abundance of fallen timber in the Northwest.

    1963

  • Ships are chartered to carry finished forest products to Australia (the first Weyerhaeuser transportation of finished products to a foreign market).

    1964

  • Weyerhaeuser Line headquarters moves from San Francisco to Tacoma.

    1966

  • First set of "M" ships is chartered from Hoegh to carry forest products to Europe (Weyerhaeuser's first major charter contract for foreign shipping).

    1967

  • The last two Weyerhaeuser Liberty ships are sold.

    1969

  • Calmar Line ceases intercoastal service on which Weyerhaeuser was a major shipper.

    1974

  • Weyerhaeuser contracts with Hoegh to build six open-hatch, gantry-crane vessels (second generation of "M" ships) to carry forest products to Europe.

    1975

  • New ships enter service; Hoegh Container Lines is formed to provide combination container/breakbulk cargo service.

    1977

  • Two new "J" ships enter service to carry newsprint from the newly opened Weyerhaeuser/Jujo NORPAC mill at Longview.

    1979

  • The Hoegh Mascot briefly strands on a Columbia River shoal caused by mud flow from the eruption of Mt. St. Helens.

    1980

  • Westwood Shipping Lines commences service with four "M" ships as a container/breakbulk common carrier between the North American West Coast and north Europe.

    1981

  • Westwood begins a modest transpacific container operation in a joint venture with Hoegh.

    1982

  • Full-fledged transpacific container/breakbulk service is inaugurated by Westwood with two "M" ships and two "J" ships.

    1983

  • Transpacific service is upgraded to 10-day eastbound frequency with a Canadian Transport Company joint sailing agreement.

    1985

  • Westwood receives the first of five newly built, state-of-the-art "S" ships, the Westwood Marianne, under long-term contract with Saga Forest Carriers.

    1986

  • A joint sailing agreement is launched with Gearbulk Container Services to upgrade eastbound transpacific service to weekly frequency.

    1988

  • Westwood withdraws from the north Europe market to focus on the strategically important transpacific market.

    1989

  • Westwood begins offering our own weekly eastbound container/breakbulk service when Gearbulk withdraws from transpacific container shipping.

    1991

  • Westwood celebrates our first decade of transpacific shipping.

    1992

  • Westwood begins performing all sales and customer services in North America.

    1995

  • Westwood places order for new state-of-the-art vessels.

    2000

  • The Westwood Columbia, Westwood Victoria, and Westwood Olympia join the Westwood Rainier.

    2003-2004

  • Westwood begins regular service to Hitachinaka, Japan.

    2003

  • Westwood and Star Shipping initiate a space-sharing and sailing agreement.

    2005

  • Westwood and Star Shipping’s space-sharing and sailing agreement ends. Westwood charters three replacement vessels.

    2007

  • Westwood begins regular monthly service to China.

    2009

  • Westwood begins service from Portland to Japan.

    2010

  • J-WeSco purchases Westwood Shipping Lines.

    2011

  • Westwood begins calling the Port of Tacoma.

    2014

  • Westwood begins calling Port of Seattle

    2020

  • Westwood acquisition by Swire Shipping completed

    2022