World Direct Shipping to commence Mexico-U.S. loop

The weekly service will operate with two vessels between Florida’s Port of Pensacola and the Port of Coatzacoalcos in Veracruz, Mexico.    Ocean carrier World Direct Shipping will launch weekly sailings between Florida’s Port of Pensacola and the Port of Coatzacoalcos in Veracruz, Mexico, the carrier revealed Friday.
   The first sailing from Coatzacoalcos is scheduled to arrive in Pensacola on Feb. 1.
   The service will be supported by two vessels, which include the 657-TEU M/V Queen B, and a chartered vessel of similar size until World Direct Shipping takes delivery of its second owned vessel in the fourth quarter of 2018.
   A second port in the northern region of Mexico’s Gulf Coast will be added to the rotation in the near future, World Direct Shipping said.
   Calling two ports in the state of Veracruz gives World Direct Shipping access to Mexico City’s great market and industrial areas, which should provide more opportunities for additional exports through the Port of Pensacola from the southeastern United States, according to Carlos Diaz, director of World Direct Shipping.
   “With Pensacola and Port Manatee, World Direct Shipping enhances its service network between Mexico and the Southeast United States,” Diaz said. “Pensacola will be a great complement to our current Port Manatee operations. Most importantly, we will be providing shippers between the U.S. and Mexico additional flexibility in meeting their shipping needs with our proven track record of speed, reliability and personalized care to customers. It’s exciting to have this opportunity to open another ocean route between Florida and Mexico.”
   “Breaking into the container markets is a big deal for a smaller port like Pensacola. While large-scale container operations may be out of reach for us, we’ve always known that there were smaller, niche container markets out there that made sense,” Pensacola Port Director Amy Miller said. “Since first becoming acquainted with World Direct Shipping nearly a year ago, port staff, our local stevedoring company Pate Stevedores, and the great folks at World Direct Shipping have worked hard to put together a quality service that we’re confident will grow and thrive here.”