Dec.31--INTRA-AMERICAS regional ocean carrier of the Maersk Group, Sealand, is to launch its "Atlantico" service in the new year linking the Mexican ports of Veracruz and Altamira with the Packer Avenue Terminal in Philadelphia.
The inauguration of the new service was announced by Holt Logistics Corp. and the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority after they secured new shipping service to the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal in South Philadelphia that will link directly with burgeoning port operations on the Gulf of Mexico.
"This new service is the culmination of nearly two years of hard work and negotiations," said Thomas J. Holt Jr. of Holt Logistics Corp. "Packer Avenue offers superior refrigerated cargo service, which will create efficiencies and provide greater scale to Mexico's expanding perishable goods business. Additionally, this new service will have significant environmental benefits as the vast majority of this cargo currently moves thousands of miles via tractor trailer."
The SeaLand Atlantico service will begin weekly calls to Packer Avenue starting February 3, and continue with weekly calls between Mexico and Philadelphia, the American Journal of Transportation reported.
The Atlantico service offers an alternative transportation option for trade between the Gulf of Mexico and Eastern United States, which generally employs ground transportation on 95 per cent of its volumes.
The service will particularly benefit producers and exporters of perishable goods to the U.S. by providing economies of scale, security and reliability of an ocean service. Targeted commodities include goods such as avocados, lemons, tomatoes and commercial cargo.
"We're very excited about this new weekly service with Mexico," said Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PRPA) chairman Jerry Sweeney.
"It's another example of the kinds of things that happen at the Port when you have great public-private partnerships in place. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is proud to invest in its marine terminals and provide business support, which assists aggressive, savvy terminal operators like the Holts in bringing home a great piece of business like this one."
The port rotation of the new SeaLand Atlantico service: Veracruz, Altamira and returning to Philadelphia.
(Source:shippingazette)