ICTSI, COSCO Shipping link Europe-South America shipping services
International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTS) recently opened COSCO Shipping Lines’ Europe - East Coast of South America (ESE2) service at the Rio Brazil Terminal (RBT) at the Port of Rio de Janeiro.
COSCO Shipping Lines, a Chinese cargo transport and shipping company, docked its vessel Xin Nan Tong at the RBT for the inaugural ceremony which was graced by ICTSI Senior Vice President and Regional Head for Latin America Anders Kjeldsen and COSCO Shipping Lines Deputy General Manager Heyue Ge.

The ESE2 is able to connect Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais in Brazil to Europe at competitive transit times and stable connection. Through the service, refrigerated cargoes from the South American region can be brought to European markets like the United Kingdom (UK), the Netherlands, and Belgium.
The port service route covers Rotterdam in the Netherlands, the London Gateway in the UK, Hamburg in Germany, Antwerp in Belgium, Lisbon in Portugal, Algeciras in Spain, then to Santos and Paranagua in Brazil, Montevideo in Uruguay, Buenos Aires in Argentina, Itapoa, Paranagua, Santos, and Rio De Janeiro in Brazil, then to Algeciras and Rotterdam.
The route is expected to complete its port rotation in nine weeks, with an initial fleet of 4,000 to 5,000 TEU ships.
The inauguration was also attended by RBT’s business partners, local government officers and stakeholder representatives.
A preliminary contract was also signed by officials from RBT and COSCO for the operation of CLIA Pouso Alegre, which will serve as a logistics corridor in Minas Gerais.