PORT OF BALTIMORE EXPECTS BOOST IN SOUTH AMERICAN CARGO

PORT OF BALTIMORE EXPECTS BOOST IN SOUTH AMERICAN CARGO    The Maryland Port Administration expects an increase in U.S. East Coast/South American carrier runs to raise the volumes of South American cargo in the Port of Baltimore, a service dubbed the “Tango.”
   Eleven shipping lines have expanded their service between the U.S. East Coast and the East Coast of South America. In addition to the lines that previously called on the old service, which included P&O Nedlloyd, CSAV, Libra, Maersk Sealand, and two Hamburg/Sud subsidiaries, Columbus Line and Alianca, Baltimore will now host ships from Crowley American Transport, APL, Lykes Lines and Evergreen. APL, Lykes and Evergreen will share space on the two vessel strings.
   “Baltimore has always been an important strategic port for Maersk Sealand, and we have been committed to doing business with Baltimore for some time,” said William Duggan Jr., vice president of South America services for Maersk Sealand. “Now with the South America service, we have the opportunity to bring new business through Baltimore and the East Coast.”
   “From the point of view of the trade with Brazil, the new ‘Tango’ service opens many new possibilities for Baltimore from shoes to auto parts,” said Jorge Lima, assistant director of Latin America Trade for the MPA. “There is an enormous interest in Baltimore among Brazilian shippers mainly because of our intermodal connections and our proximity to the Midwest region.”
   Because of the string consolidation, Hamburg-Sud was able to introduce five new container ships to their fleet, each with a capacity of 3,800 TEUs. “Compared to the old ships, which were 2.500 TEUs, these ships will provide faster and easier trade with South American ports,” the MPA said.
   “We are collectively the largest East Coast carrier for South American trade and the largest north-south carrier overall,” said Thomas Pirie, vice president of trade management for Hamburg-Sud/Columbus Lines. “South America is our main trading continent and Baltimore has become one of our principle ports of entry.”
   The weekly service connects to ports, such as Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Suape and Fortaleza. The ships call every Monday at the Universal Maritime terminal at Baltimore’s Dundalk Marine Terminal.