The announcement by the Danish shipping company Maersk that from the beginning of 2024 it will operate from the deep-water port of Posorja and stop using the sea port of Guayaquil is causing reactions from its clients who use the ships and their routes for export. to international markets..

In this case, the banana sector, which exported 195.5 million boxes of bananas from January to October from the various ports of Guayaquil, including the seaport operated by Contecon, and not only with that shipping company, calculates that the impact of mobilizing cargo from the city of Guayaquil to the parish Posorja represents an additional cost of $130 per container, which in turn means an additional $0.12 per exported box, revealed Richard Salazar, executive director of the Ecuador Banana Marketing and Export Association (Acorbanec).

“We sell more than 90% of banana exports under FOB terms and go where the importer contracts with the shipping company. If the importer hires Maersk and says we have to go to Posorje, we have to go to Posorje… the cost of transportation is higher, that’s an additional 130 dollars,” Salazar pointed out.

The ship Maersk will leave the sea port of Guayaquil in order to operate from Posorje from 2024

Not all bananas leave Guayaquil. 65% of exported bananas pass through the various ports of this city (195.5 million boxes). According to the latest data from the union, from January to October, 65.7 million boxes of bananas went from Puerto Bolívar (El Oro), and 39.6 million boxes from Posorje (Guayas).

The decision by the shipping company, the second to move the most cargo of bananas from Ecuador to the world with 61.3 million boxes from January to October, focuses on its vision to become a true integrator of container logistics that connects and simplifies the supply chain for its customers through end-to-end of global solutions, according to the press release that the company issued to its clients on November 22.

The communication sent by the shipping company Maersk on November 22. Photo: taken from X

“We are pleased to announce that services currently arriving at Contecon Guayaquil (covering the Ecuadorian corridors from/to Europe), AC2 (covering the Ecuadorian corridors from/to Asia) and Guayaquil Feeder (covering the Intra Americas) will begin arriving at the DPW Posorja terminal in early 2024”, the shipping company officially announced.

According to Acorbanec data, MSC is the shipping company that transports the largest Ecuadorian cargo of bananas. From January to October, 69.3 million boxes of bananas were exported from the country, or 23% of the total fruit export, while 20.38% was exported through Maersk.

Unirreefer is the third transporter for this fruit with 44.4 million boxes moved (14.76%). CMA CMG is in fourth place with a 13.29% share. Followed by Hapag Lloyd (9.16%), Pormar (4.73%), Lasa-Seatrade (4.17%), Hamburg (3.15%), Marglobal (2.41%) and Cosco (1.03%) ).

In total, Ecuador exported 300 million boxes of bananas to its various destinations during that period.

Banana farmers are negotiating with the shipping company to absorb part of the increase

In the meantime, Maersk indicated in its statement that the detailed transition plan is being refined and adjusted and will be published in due course. However, he suggested his customers contact their local sales representatives in case they have any questions.

Banana prices: how much leaves Ecuador and how much comes and is sold on international shelves?

Salazar revealed that the banana export sector is currently in negotiations with a shipping company that is asking the company to absorb part of the cost increase that this port change will generate. “We will wait until the negotiations are over, because it is being negotiated, we have to see if maybe the shipping company will compensate a part, we have not defined that yet, but that is the impact it will have on the logistics part. . If it is not absorbed, it has a direct impact on the export of bananas,” said the head of Ačorbanec.