HONG Kong's Orient Overseas Container Liner (OOCL) announced a service upgrade in the Asia East Coast South America (ECSA) network effective from May 2024 which will further enhance its service on this network in terms of optimized route and increased capacity.

The carrier, a unit of COSCO Shipping, said the Transpacific Latin Atlantic 1/2 (TLA1/2) services will provide direct connection between Asia and Brazil/River Plate, "offering competitive service and scheduling options for your shipments. With an attractive transit time of 26 days only from China to Brazil, the loops provide customer with competitive and reliable shipment options".

To cater for the growth of market demand in the ECSA network, all vessels in TLA2 service will upsize to 14,000 TEU nominal capacity from May and the new capacity deployment can cater more refrigerated container demand from ECSA to Asia.

Port rotation for TLA1 service: Shanghai, Ningbo, Yantian, Hong Kong, Singapore, Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Navegantes, Montevideo, Buenos Aires, Paranagua, Santos, Singapore, Hong Kong and returning to Shanghai.

Port rotation for TLA2 service: Tianjin, Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Shekou, Singapore, Rio De Janeiro, Santos, Paranagua, Itapoa, Navegantes, Santos, Rio De Janeiro, Colombo, Singapore, Hong Kong and returning to Tianjin.

The service will start with the sailing of the COSCO Shipping Argentina which is expected to arrive at Tianjin on May 5.