Seaboard Marine launches new route from Chile to Gloucester, USA

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Seaboard Marine will launch a weekly service calling at Gloucester Marine Terminal in New Jersey, USA, from the west coast of South America, with a fixed schedule departing from Chile. According to Citikold, the company's agent in Chile, the voyage from San Antonio to Gloucester takes 22 days, and from Lirquén 20 days, both with one transshipment planned at Callao, Peru.

The maiden voyage is scheduled for October 2026. The vessel departs San Antonio on Saturday, October 3, arrives at Lirquén on Monday, October 5, and at Callao on Tuesday, October 6, followed by calls at Paita, Peru (Thursday, October 8) and Guayaquil, Ecuador (Friday, October 10), arriving at Gloucester on Sunday, October 25, and at Brooklyn, New York, on Wednesday, October 28.

The service aims to strengthen Seaboard Marine's connectivity between Chile, Peru, Ecuador, and the northeastern United States, offering shippers an alternative gateway into the U.S. market via Gloucester. Gloucester Marine Terminal is regarded as a historic gateway port for Chilean fruit entering the Philadelphia region.

Unlike previous operations that relied on reefer vessels only during the grape peak season, the new service will provide year-round liner connectivity. With vessel arrivals at Gloucester on Saturdays, cargo inspection, fumigation, and release procedures can commence from Sunday to Monday, allowing goods to enter distribution and sales channels early in the week, helping preserve fruit quality and accelerate its arrival at target markets.

In terms of operating costs, compared with existing services arriving at Packer Avenue, certain cargo flows can save up to USD 1,000 per container, with savings primarily derived from fumigation, inland transportation, and tolls.

Francis Mc Cawley, General Manager of Citikold Chile, stated that this new service reflects Seaboard Marine's positioning in Chile—"a specialized, customer-oriented, and flexible shipping company that understands the specific needs of reefer cargo and its clients." He added that the service configuration enables cargo to undergo inspection, fumigation, and release quickly, making it available to consignees; for perishable products, "every day and every dollar count."

The new service will be operated by new vessels featuring liquefied natural gas (LNG) technology, significantly reducing emissions compared with conventional marine fuels. The vessels can reach a maximum speed of 22 knots and a maximum draft of nearly 12 meters, providing the ability to recover schedules in unforeseen circumstances, which is also significant in addressing potential draft restrictions at the Panama Canal.

Mc Cawley concluded, "We are not just competing on transit time or rates, but offering a complete, reliable, and personalized logistics solution," combining reliability, efficiency, and rapid cargo availability to "create genuine value for Chilean producers and exporters."