Hapag-Lloyd splits Gulf Caribbean Service into two new slings

HAMBURG : German ocean carrier Hapag-Lloyd will split its Gulf Caribbean Service (GCS), connecting the United States East Coast and Mexican Gulf with Central America and the Caribbean, into two separate loops.

Starting in the next month, this fortnightly service will turn into a weekly service, adding two new weekly loops.

The North Loop (GCS) will have the following rotation:

Houston (US) – Altamira (Mexico) – Veracruz (Mexico) – Puerto Barrios (Guatemala) – Puerto Cortes (Honduras) – Caucedo (Dominican Republic) – Kingston (Jamaica) – Houston

On this loop, Caucedo will be a transshipment option for cargo from Mexico, with 25 days transit time to Puerto Limon in Costa Rica and 11 days to San Juan in Puerto Rico.

The first vessel sailing under the North Loop’s weekly frequency will be Maira V with an estimated time of arrival at Houston on 13 April.

The second loop, South Loop (GC2), will have the following rotation:

Cartagena (Colombia) – Manzanillo (Mexico) – Santo Tomas / Puerto Barrios (Guatemala) – Puerto Cortes (Honduras) – Puerto Limon (Costa Rica) – Cartagena (Colombia) – Caucedo (Dominican Republic) – San Juan (Puerto Rico) – Cartagena

The shipping line said the first vessel to sail on the South Loop’s weekly frequency will be Jonathan P, which is scheduled to arrive in Cartagena on 3 April 2023.

“The tentative first call at Puerto Barrios will be confirmed at a later date,” pointed out the Hamburg-based container line.