Cosco Shipping Lines launched its WSA5 express ocean service on February 21, 2025, with the 8,528 TEU vessel Xin Ou Zhou Guayaquil departing from Guayaquil, Ecuador, to transport shrimp and bananas to Shanghai, China, via Chancay, Peru, according to the company's release.
The service aims to reduce transit time to 27 days for reefers, compared to the 35 to 55 days typical of other routes. The route connects Guayaquil’s Contecon terminal to the recently opened Chancay port, inaugurated in November 2024 with a $1.4 billion investment from Cosco Shipping Ports Chancay Perú S.A., before reaching Shanghai.
Javier Lanza, CEO of Contecon Guayaquil S.A., noted, “Before this new route, the merchandise directed to China from Ecuador in boat arrived at its destination in a deadline of 35 to 55 days, since they had to pass by other ports of the north of the region.”
The service targets a 10% reduction in logistics costs, with bananas—accounting for 60% of Ecuador’s containerized exports—expected to benefit most significantly. The weekly service follows a trial voyage the previous week, with a second vessel departing on February 21 carrying 247 TEU, including fresh foods.
Ecuador’s exports to China, bolstered by a trade agreement effective since May 2024, reached 15.3 million boxes of bananas in 2023, up from 10.8 million in 2022. The Chancay port, a $3.5 billion project 60% owned by Cosco Shipping Ports and 40% by Volcan Compañía Minera S.A.A., handled over 1,700 containers by early December 2024.
The WSA5 route also includes stops at Buenaventura, Colombia, and Mexican ports, completing a nine-week cycle with a fleet ranging from 2,300 to 9,500 TEU capacity.
Cosco Shipping Lines is a subsidiary of China Cosco Shipping Corporation Limited, founded in 1961, it operates a fleet of 1,535 vessels, including container ships, serving over 1,000 ports globally.
Cosco Shipping Ports Chancay Perú S.A. is a joint venture established in 2019, 60% owned by Cosco Shipping Ports and 40% by Volcan Compañía Minera S.A.A., managing the Chancay port in Peru.