March 1979 - Lykes
Brother's vessel, LETITIA LYKES, makes its first voyage to the Port of
Shanghai, the People's Republic of China. They voyage marks the
end of a more than thirty-year break in ocean shipping between China and
the U.S.
April 1979 - COSCO
bulk vessel, LIULINHAI, makes its first voyage to the Port of Seattle
September 1980 - Chinese
Deputy Premier Bo Yibo and American President Jimmy Carter sign the
first Bilateral Maritime Agreement between China and the U.S.
January 1982 - COSCO's
first roll-on/roll-off ship, ZHANGJIAKOU, fully loaded with containers,
arrives at the Port of San Francisco, initiating the first monthly liner
service between China and the U.S. West Coast.
August 1982 - COSCO
registers its first subsidiary, China Ocean Shipping Company, Inc.
(COSCO, Inc.) in the United States.
November 1982 - COSCO's
first full cellular container ship, FENHE, begins the first monthly
liner service between China and the U.S. East Coast.
July 1985 - COSCO's
roll-on/roll-off ship, XIFENGKOU, resumes semi-monthly liner service
between the Far East and the U.S. West Coast. Ports called are Los
Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Vancouver, Canada.
August 1985 - COSCO
North America, Inc. forms as a joint venture.
April 1987 - COSCO
increase its liner service frequency between Hong Kong and the
U.S./Canada West Coast from two to three sailings a month.
March 1988 - COSCO's
three multi-purpose vessels, WEIHE, LUANHE, and TUOHE, each with a
capacity of 1,140 TEU commence the third-string monthly liner service to
the U.S.
April 1988 - COSCO
expands the U.S. West Coast liner service to seven container vessels
with a total capacity of 8,136 TEU.
April 1989 - The
first new purpose built 2,700 TEU vessel, PUHE, makes her maiden voyage
to Long Beach, California.
December 1992 - COSCO
North America, Inc. becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of COSCO, Inc.
November 1993 - The
first new 3,400 TEU vessel, EMPRESS HEAVEN, makes her maiden voyage to
Long Beach, California.
January 1994 - COSCO
transpacific weekly liner service is divided into two separate services,
i.e. PNW and PSW.
April 1994 - The
first new 3,800 TEU vessel, RIVER WISDOM, makes her maiden voyage to
Long Beach, California.
June 1995 - COSCO
commences South America West Coast services.
April 1996 - During
its sailing to the Port of Long Beach, and under heavy weather
conditions, COSCO's vessel GAOHE, successfully rescued retired U.S. Navy
Captain William "Buzz" Radican after receiving a notice from
the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard awards Captain Shen Jugen
with the "Public Service" honor.
June 1996 - COSCO,
Inc. changes its name to China Ocean Shipping Company Americas, Inc.
(COSCO Americas, Inc.)
January 1997 - COSCO
signs a Space Sharing Agreement with K-Line and Yang Ming, expanding its
service to include the Europe/USEC lane. the three companies agree
to share the same terminal and stevedoring company in the ports of New
York, Norfolk and Charleston.
February 1997 - The
first new 5,250 TEU vessel, LUHE, makes her maiden voyage to the U.S.
March 1997 - TRADE
APPOLLO, the first vessel of COSCO, K-Line and Yang Ming's Europe/USEC
liner service, arrives in the port of New York.
April 1997 - COSCO
Americas, Inc. and COSCO North America, Inc. are certified ISO9002.
October 1998 - Space
sharing with K-Line and Yang Ming in transatlantic service is extended
to the U.S. Gulf. TAS II calls at Charleston, Miami and Houston
while TAS I calls at New York, Baltimore and Norfolk.
