New weekly container service between Tampa and Mexico offers new options for Florida companies

July 26, 2016

TAMPA, Fla. / Trade between Mexico and Florida just became easier and more cost efficient thanks to a new weekly container shipping service that began this month. Port Tampa Bay is pleased to congratulate Linea Peninsular on the launch of its new weekly container service between Mexico and Tampa. This weekly, fixed-day service calls Port Tampa Bay every Tuesday to and from the ports of Altamira and Progreso, Mexico. A quick 2 ½ -day transit from northern Mexico and a 2-day transit to the Yucatan peninsula provides companies with a new option for delivering product to market in a quick and cost effective manner. In addition to offering container service, including refrigerated containers, the service can also accommodate breakbulk and project cargoes.

“We are delighted to welcome Linea Peninsular to Port Tampa Bay”, stated Port CEO Paul Anderson. “Linea Peninsular enjoys a well-deserved reputation as the premiere ocean carrier between Mexico and the United States, having provided reliable and quality service in this trade for over 32 years. Mexico is already one of Port Tampa Bay’s top trading partners and we see significant potential to expand our containerized business with Mexico, including for such commodities as food and beverage products, consumer goods and construction and building materials”, added Anderson.

“We are very excited to add Port Tampa Bay to our rotation” noted David Humphreys, CEO of Linea Peninsular. “We have wanted to do this for quite some time as the large consumer market in the Tampa Bay I-4 corridor market has become the primary distribution center hub for Florida. Customers have been pushing us to add a Tampa call and the response has been great. We also see lots of potential to assist companies who are currently trucking their business between Mexico and Florida and to help them save money and transit time by converting to the safety and security of an all-water delivery” added Humphreys.

Port Tampa Bay and terminal operator partner Ports America recently commissioned two new post-Panamax container gantry cranes and have a phased build out plan to quadruple of the size of its container facilities to over 160 acres. Port Tampa Bay is Florida’s largest and most diversified seaport and recently received the award for 2016 North American Port Operator of the year by the esteemed maritime publication Lloyd’s List.