BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) announced it is offering an express international container service from the high-capacity ports of Seattle and Tacoma, WA, to BNSF's intermodal facilities in Memphis, Tenn., and BNSF's Logistics Park - Chicago in Illinois.

"This express service can cut down transit time by almost a full day, making it one of the fastest intermodal cargo services from the Pacific Northwest to Chicago and Memphis," said Steve Branscum, BNSF's group vice president, Consumer Products Marketing. "The new express service not only relies on the speed of the train and the route followed, but also the ability of the ports and the intermodal hubs to provide efficient and reliable service."

According to Mike Reilly, director, Intermodal Business, Port of Tacoma, "The Pacific Northwest gateway offers exceptional reliability for intermodal shipments and BNSF's revised service will enhance reliability and speed. The wide range of ocean carriers calling at our port, combined with this revised service, gives shippers tremendous flexibility when routing cargo through the Pacific Northwest."

In Chicago and Memphis, BNSF offers two of the most advanced intermodal hub facilities in North America. BNSF is in the process of expanding capacity at its Memphis facility, which will soon load and unload containers using five of the largest wide-span cranes in North America. The hubs will also employ automated checkpoints and scalable capacity to create a faster, more reliable and environmentally friendly process for moving trailers and containers between rail and highway.

"This enhanced express service from BNSF makes the Pacific Northwest gateway even more competitive by reducing transit times to hubs in Chicago and Memphis," said Charlie Sheldon, Managing Director of the Port of Seattle. "The Port of Seattle and Port of Tacoma have the capacity to handle more cargo now. There's never been a better time to route cargo through the PNW."

Initially, BNSF is offering one full train weekly from either port to either destination on a schedule that matches an ocean carrier's discharge/dray. BNSF will expand the service as shipper interest grows. Each aspect of this new express service is designed to move cargo quickly and efficiently in a safe and environmentally friendly manner.