ICTSI’s Mexico terminal welcomes Wan Hai WSA2 service
Wan Hai A16 on its inaugural call at Contecon Manzanillo in Port of Manzanillo, Mexico. Photo from International Container Terminal Services, Inc, parent company of Contecon Manzanillo.
  • Contecon Manzanillo S.A. welcomed the inaugural call of containership Wan Hai A16 as part of Wan Hai Lines’ Asia-South America West Coast 2 service
  • CMSA is International Container Terminal Services, Inc.’s operation in the Port of Manzanillo, Mexico
  • The service improves the logistics coverage between Asia and the west coast of South America, enabling faster and more efficient operations across the supply chain
  • The WSA2 service has been operating in the Port of Manzanillo for nearly two decades, transferring to CMSA following the terminal’s recent expansion and deployment of the largest ship-to-shore cranes

Contecon Manzanillo S.A. (CMSA) is enhancing its logistics offering with the introduction of Wan Hail Lines’ Asia-South America West Coast 2 (WSA2) service. The service made its inaugural call at Contecon on August 11 with the arrival of the vessel Wan Hai A16.

CMSA is International Container Terminal Services, Inc.’s (ICTSI) operation in the Port of Manzanillo, Mexico.

Also known as the Asia-South America (ASA) service, the WSA2 service is jointly operated with Pacific International Lines, Evergreen Marine Corp., and COSCO Shipping Lines with 11 vessels in rotation.

ICTSI in a statement said the service improves the logistics coverage between Asia and the west coast of South America, enabling faster and more efficient operations across the supply chain. The service makes weekly calls to the ports of Kaohsiung, Shekou, Hong Kong, Ningbo, Shanghai, Manzanillo, Lázaro Cárdenas, Puerto Quetzal, Buenaventura, Callao, and Guayaquil, before returning to Kaohsiung.

“The arrival of the WSA2 service to our terminal is another milestone in our expansion strategy and consolidation as a key logistics hub for international trade. This project is part of the terminal’s growth, which began at the end of 2022, with the clear goal of completion in 2026,” said José Antonio Contreras, CMSA chief executive officer.

ICTSI said the WSA2 service has been operating in the Port of Manzanillo for nearly two decades, transferring to CMSA following the terminal’s recent expansion and deployment of the largest ship-to-shore cranes in Latin America that resulted in faster and more efficient operations.

Last May, CMSA  acquired two quay cranes and four hybrid rubber-tired gantries. These enhancements, combined with state-of-the-art technology, enables CMSA to service the newest generations of vessels.

READ: Contecon Manzanillo acquires equipment in a boost to capacity

Now backed by CMSA’s modern port infrastructure, ICTSI said the WSA2 service grants customers on the west coast of Latin America access to specialized and more direct coverage of major Asian ports, leading to optimized transit times and operating costs. It also strengthens the port of Manzanillo’s competitiveness and expands logistics options for Mexico’s foreign trade.

“We are committed to offering world-class infrastructure and efficient logistics solutions for global shipping lines and our customers,” Contreras said.

CMSA is currently expanding, which includes infrastructure upgrades that will enable the terminal to accommodate up to 24,000-twenty-foot equivalent unit capacity megaships.

CMSA’s total investments from 2023 to 2026 will reach more than $300 million. ICTSI said CMSA will continue to allocate the needed resources to improve the terminal’s operation and ensure Mexican foreign trade access to the Pacific logistics routes, where shipping lines have increasingly deployed larger, deeper-draft vessels.

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