Mediterranean Shipping, the world's second-largest container-ship operator, won't be calling at the Port of Seattle anytime soon.Port spokesman Mick Shultz confirmed Friday that the Geneva-based company, known as MSC, is "delaying" its planned entry into the Pacific Northwest shipping market."There's now a very thin chance of them coming here in 2007," Shultz said. "But we're still very optimistic that they'll come here in 2008, or when market conditions improve."MSC blamed its change in plans on sluggish conditions in the global shipping industry, Shultz said.Officials announced in May that MSC planned to begin calling at Terminal 18 on Harbor Island next year, before moving to Terminal 30 in 2008.Despite MSC's decision, the Port still plans to move its cruise-ship facilities north from Terminal 30 to Terminal 91 and reconvert Terminal 30 to handle container ships, Shultz said.
