Seaboard Marine Opens Direct Call to Philadelphia from Chile

Seaboard Marine announced the incorporation of a direct call to Gloucester Marine Terminal, located in the Port of Philadelphia (New Jersey), which will establish a permanent year-round connection for shipments from Chile destined for the northeastern United States.

This improvement seeks to guarantee a regular logistical alternative for the Chilean fruit industry, extending its export capacity beyond the high season for table grapes.

The operation, with weekly frequency and a fixed day, contemplates transit times of 22 days from San Antonio and 20 days from Lirquén, operating via Callao (Peru) with a single transshipment.

This service, which maintains itinerary reliability exceeding 95%, will allow for immediate inspections, fumigations, and customs releases in Philadelphia upon the arrival of vessels on Saturdays, making the cargo available for distribution and sale between Sunday and Monday.

In economic terms, choosing this terminal would generate savings of up to $1,000 per container compared to alternatives operating at the Packer Avenue terminal, driven by efficiencies in tolls, land freight, and handling at destination.

The inaugural itinerary will begin its rotation in San Antonio with departure scheduled for Saturday, October 3, 2026, and from Lirquén on Monday, October 5. The Pacific circuit will continue in Peru with calls at Callao (Tuesday, October 6) and Paita (Thursday, October 8), concluding South American shipments in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on Friday, October 9. From there, the vessel will continue to the East Coast of the United States, arriving in Gloucester on Sunday, October 25, and concluding in Brooklyn on Wednesday, October 28.

"Seaboard Marine is pleased to announce a significant enhancement to its West Coast of South America (WCSA) service with the addition of a direct northbound call at Gloucester Marine Terminal, located in Gloucester City, New Jersey, in the Port of Philadelphia," the shipping company communicated.

"Beginning with the voyage arriving in Gloucester on Sunday, October 25, 2026, customers shipping cargo from the West Coast of South America will benefit from a more direct connection to the northeastern United States via Gloucester Marine Terminal. This enhancement further strengthens Seaboard Marine's service between the key markets of Chile, Peru, and Ecuador and the northeastern United States, offering customers an optimized route and increased connectivity for northbound cargo," it added.

"This new direct northbound call represents another significant improvement in Seaboard Marine's network for the West Coast of South America, creating a direct and optimized connection for cargo from Callao, Paita, and Guayaquil, in addition to improved connectivity from Lirquén and San Antonio (Chile) to the northeastern United States," concluded the company's press release.