The Alabama Port Authority is pleased to announce new ocean service to and from Central America for containerized cargo shippers.  Sealand, a Maersk Company, introduced the Bonita Express, a direct, all-water service between the Port of Mobile, the Puerto Cortes in Honduras and Santo Tomas de Castilla in Guatemala. The new ocean route provides rapid transit for North and Central American shippers and connectivity to inland Nicaragua and El Salvador markets.

John C. Driscoll, director and chief executive for the Port Authority, praised the new service as “providing an efficient and competitive ocean carriage option into Central America growth markets.” Containerized cargo movements through the Port of Mobile’s uncongested and fluid gateway consistently posts year over year double digit growth. 

The inaugural vessel Asian Moon called the Port Authority’s container terminal last week, discharging and loading a balance of imports and export containers.  The Inter-American Development Bank reports on Latin America international trade flows.  In its 2022 report, the Bank reported Honduras and Guatemala trade with the United States posted year over year growth, 2020 and 2021, of 49.9% and 20.5% respectively.

 The Alabama Port Authority oversees the deep-water public seaport facilities at the Port of Mobile. The Alabama Port Authority’s container, general cargo and bulk facilities have immediate access to two interstate systems, five Class 1 railroads, and nearly 15,000 miles of inland waterways.