Horizon Lines, a shipping company that serves Alaska and Hawaii, will continue using the Port of Tacoma for another six years, the New Tribune reported.

The carrier's lease with terminal operator APM Terminals North America was set to expire in December. And at a time when shipping terminal operators are scrambling for business, Horizon was considering several options including leaving Tacoma.

But the Charlotte, NC-based carrier announced last week that it had renewed its terminal services and stevedoring agreement with APMT. The agreement affects five US cities including Tacoma, where APMT leases a shipping terminal from the Port of Tacoma.