The shipping industry is witnessing unprecedented Asia-Latin America reefer capacity growth, reported AI Copilot.
Nearshoring and booming perishables demand have doubled deployed container capacity on the lane to more than two million TEU by early 2025. Data shows a 20 per cent year-on-year capacity increase from 2024 to 2025, underscoring shifts between Asian manufacturing hubs and Latin American markets. Ocean Network Express introduced larger newbuild vessels on its Asia-West Coast South America service, while Evergreen and Cosco expanded offerings. The expansion connects ports such as Busan with logistics nodes in Mexico, Colombia and Peru. Despite capacity injections, carriers raised reefer rates by up to US$1,000 per FEU to stabilise margins. Key challenges for 2026 include equipment shortages, with Latin America facing deficits of up to 73 per cent during peak seasons due to Cape of Good Hope rerouting. Forwarders remain sceptical about filling continuous newbuild mega-ships, while routing disruptions continue to strain rate stability.
Analysts said the reefer expansion offers immense supply chain opportunities but requires balancing growth against equipment deficits and operational risks.
https://www.shippingazette.com/news?news_id=9260500000341
2026/5/15 13:46:00