APM Terminals Quetzal attracts two new services to support booming Latin American trade routes

APM Terminals Quetzal, Guatemala has attracted two new services to support customers on booming Latin American – Far East routes. Offering the deepest draft on the Pacific coast of Central America, APM Terminals Quetzal can enable larger volumes to be deployed on each call and allows customers to fully use the capacity of their vessels on these transpacific routes.

This week saw the first call on the new SA8 service at APM Terminals Quetzal, Guatemala. Using ~4,000 TEU vessels, the service offers customers increased frequency on Far East - West Coast of Latin America routes.

The 254m long YM ENLIGHTENMENT called APM Terminals Quetzal on 13 August with a draft of 11.7 meters. The new SA8 service is jointly operated by Yang Ming, WAN HAI LINES LTD. and Pacific International Lines Pte Ltd (PIL). A fleet of eight 2,400-3,700 TEU vessels will be deployed on the weekly service. Calling the ports of Ningbo - Shanghai - Qingdao - Pusan - Manzanillo - Lazaro Cardenas - Puerto Quetzal - Buenaventura - Valparaiso and Ningbo, a round trip will take 70 days.

Strategic Location

Commenting on the added value APM Terminals Quetzal can offer shipping lines, Gabriel Enrique Corrales, Managing Director of APM Terminals Latin American Regions explained, “APM Terminals Quetzal is the only terminal between the port of Lázaro Cardenas in México, and the Panama Canal, on the west coast of Central America. It is also the only terminal in Guatemala capable of handling 10,000 TEU vessels due to its 14.5 m draft.”

A state-of-the-art Terminal Operating System supports numerous real-time digital services to speed up customers’ supply chains. The terminal also offers dedicated berthing windows which can reduce waiting times for vessels significantly. “In addition to simplified and faster cargo dispatching, Authorised Economic Operator status also ensures the highest security levels for cargo owners,” adds Corrales. “Gantry crane control cabins provide customs officials with access to 10 strategically located cameras, to supervise and control the codes of each container entering or leaving a ship.”

The new SA8 service compliments the Yang Ming’s existing SA6 service which calls Kaohsiung - Shekou - Hong Kong - Ningbo - Shanghai - Manzanillo - Lazaro Cardenas - Puerto Quetzal - Callao - Guayaquil - Manzanillo - Pusan and Kaohsiung.

Booming Latin American routes

Last month also saw the first call at APM Terminals Quetzal of the fortnightly WSA6/ACSA5 service. The service, operated by COSCO and CMA CGM, employs 5,000 TEU vessels calling the ports of Hong Kong Sar - Shekou ; CN - Ningbo ; CN - Shanghai ; CN - Manzanillo, MX - Puerto Quetzal ; GT - San Antonio ; CI And Hong Kong Sar. The service was introduced to maintain a stable and smooth supply chain for customers in time for the second half of the year, which is traditionally the peak season for Latin American routes.

Sincerely,
APM TERMINALS QUETZAL