Pecém Consolidates Its Position as a Gateway to Asia and Receives Weekly Service

APM Terminals Pecém has announced a major development for the logistics and port sector with the arrival of the new weekly MSC – Far East-Centram-ECSA Service (Santana). This new service marks a new phase of direct connectivity between Brazil’s Northeast and Asia, potentially transforming the country’s import and export dynamics by significantly reducing transit times and eliminating the need for transshipments at ports in the Southeast and South regions.

The main feature of this new service is its direct connection from Pecém to major Asian ports such as Mundra (India), Singapore, Yantian (Shenzhen), Ningbo, Shanghai, Qingdao, Busan, and others. This substantially reduces transit times, an essential factor for companies seeking efficiency and predictability in their logistics operations. For exports and imports, especially those destined for China, India, Bangladesh, and Egypt, the service offers a major competitive advantage, particularly for Brazilian commodity shippers.

According to Daniel Rose, CEO of APM Terminals Suape and Pecém, the new operation is already expected to increase call frequency. “The expectation is that this service alone will increase the terminal’s volume by 15% to 20%, and potentially attract new types of cargo, both import and export,” he stated.

“The Asian market is vast, with around 2 billion people. This presents an incredible opportunity to connect our Northeastern products with Asia, and vice versa. From granite, marble, cashew nuts, carnauba wax, fruits, footwear, and textiles to thousands of e-commerce products. Additionally, industries in Ceará and the surrounding region will be able to import machinery and inputs from this promising Asian market through Pecém,” emphasized André Magalhães, Commercial Director of the Pecém Complex.

Impacts and Opportunities for the Market

Beyond being an innovative trade route to Asia, the MSC – Far East-Centram-ECSA Service (Santana) also presents an excellent opportunity for emerging markets such as cotton and animal protein exports, both of which are seeing strong growth, driven by high demand from China. “With Pecém now directly included in the route, the export of products like cotton and meat gains a more competitive and strategic alternative compared to the ports of the Southeast and South, reducing costs and optimizing transport times,” explained Daniel Rose.

The executive also highlighted that the new operation represents a major logistical advantage for the Manaus market, with cargo transshipments now taking place directly in Pecém. “This process will significantly reduce transit times compared to the current model, resulting in greater efficiency and speed for customers in Brazil’s northern region,” he added.

“The port opens the doors of Ceará to the world. Our role is to improve logistics and give our exporters more opportunities to reach new markets while enabling access to inputs and machinery. This new maritime route between China and Fortaleza drastically reduces the shipping time and strengthens our logistics network. With this new connection, transit time will drop from about 60 to just 30 days, making Ceará even more competitive in the international trade arena,” emphasized Max Quintino, President of the Pecém Complex.

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