The Port of Long Beach will help to remove up to 4,300 empty containers that have built up as a result of the bankruptcy of Hanjin Shipping.

The operation is part of an agreement with Total Terminals International to free up the chassis on which the containers are currently resting.

“The Port of Long Beach recognized the urgency to alleviate the shortage created by the estimated 6,000 Hanjin-leased containers sitting on chassis which are needed throughout Southern California to move goods in and out of the region,” said Lori Ann Guzmán, president of the board of Harbor Commissioners. “The Port of Long Beach has been working with TTI and other supply chain partners to find creative solutions to solve the chassis shortage.”

The port and TTI have secured an empty vessel to move the containers back to Asia. The ship is expected to arrive at the port in the coming week.

“TTI has already begun accepting empty Hanjin containers from container-leasing companies, freeing up every chassis that drops off a container,” said Noel Hacegaba, managing director of commercial operations and chief commercial officer at the Port of Long Beach. “We expect that as many as 3,000 containers will literally be taken off the street and shipped back to Asia, with another 1,300 being removed from the port, putting thousands of chassis back to work.”

TTI will load the vessel at cost but the port will waive its fee for access to the terminal.

TTI will be receiving Hanjin-leased empty containers authorized by Florens, Seacube, Textainer and Triton, according to the Port of Long Beach.