Hamburg Süd Bahia containership

German group Hamburg Süd has revealed that it is making several changes to its South America East Coast-Caribbean, Central America and US-Gulf (UCLA) line in a bid to improve service.

According to Hamburg Süd and Alianca, seven 3,800 TEU vessels will operate on the upgrade line, with a port rotation of Veracruz, Altamira, Houston, Cartagena, Suape, Santos, Rio Grande, Navagantes, Paranaguá, Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Puerto Cabello, Cartegena and Veracruz.

'The present two-loop set up with twelve 1,700 TEU-2,500 TEU vessels will be upgraded to a new main string with modern tonnage and full port coverage,' the group said in a statement.

To complement the service, Hamburg Süd is also offering a new Intra-Caribbean line named AztecService, operating three 1,700 TEU vessels on a weekly frequency through Altamira, Veracruz, Havana, Manzanillo, CArtagena, Puerto Cabello, La Guaira and Altamira.

The changes address the market requirements for direct and reliable services within the region, with fixed-day sailings and competitive transit times throughout the major ports,' the group added.