Deployed capacity on the Asia to Latin America trade lane has more than doubled on a quarterly basis in the past three years. According to data from MDS Transmodal, deployed capacity exceeded 2 million TEUs in the first quarter. Comparing Q1 2024 and Q1 2025, capacity alone grew 20% year-over-year. This rapid growth has been driven by the rise of Asian manufacturing in Latin America, particularly Mexico, as companies seek new production hubs.

To meet growing demand, carriers are deploying larger vessels and expanding routes. An Ocean Network Express (ONE) spokesperson said the ocean carrier will introduce newbuild vessels on its Asia-West Coast South America service in early March which are up to 50% larger. The spokesperson added that the larger newbuilds to be delivered would likely connect the ports of Busan, Shanghai and Ningbo with Ensenada and Manzanillo in Mexico; Buenaventura, Colombia; Guayaquil, Ecuador, and Callao, Peru.

Meanwhile, Evergreen and Cosco expanded their Asia-South America West Coast 5 (WSA5) service in early February. Formerly a Mexico-focused route, it now includes ports in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. The new vessels will also bring a boost in reefer capacity. The ONE spokesperson added that the development will support the growing perishables trade in meat, fish, and fruit between China and South America and on North-South routes.

Source: Journal of Commerce