Chile Express ro-ro’s to Port of Houston

HOUSTON – The Port of Houston Authority has signed a new South American service agreement with Japanese-based NYK Line. The new ro-ro* service will call at ports in Ecuador, Chile, Peru and Panama after docking in Houston.

The NYK Chile Express line will begin service on July 24. Each of the four countries ranks among the Port of Houston’s top 15 trading partners

The service will call the Port of Houston Authority’s Turning Basin terminals,  the cornerstone of the nation’s No. 1 seaport in handling project and breakbulk cargo.

Before Houston, the shipping line will stop at ports in Baltimore and Jacksonville.

The Port of Houston also recently saw the beginning of another service to South America. The Mediterranean Shipping Co. began a weekly direct-container service between Houston’s Bayport Container Terminal and Brazil in April 2013.

In addition to its South American agreements, the port has signed shipping agreements that added new service to Puerto Rico and locations throughout the Middle East.

*Roll-on/roll-off (RORO or ro-ro) ships are vessels designed to carry wheeled cargo, such as automobiles, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, trailers and railroad cars that are driven on and off the ship on their own wheels.