The liner carrier Hapag-Lloyd said it will temporarily suspend calls it makes at Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica on a service it jointly runs with NYK Line connecting California with Central America.
The suspension at the Pacific coast port comes in the wake of a massive earthquake in Costa Rica last week that has caused congestion due to the partial closure of most of the port’s berthing positions, the German line said.
NYK and Hapag-Lloyd, partners in the Grand Alliance, jointly operate a three-ship loop with a rotation of Los Angeles, Mazatlan, Manzanillo (Mexico), Puerto Quetzal, Acajutla, Puerto Caldera, Corinto, Puerto Quetzal, Manzanillo, and Los Angeles.
NYK provides two ships on the service and Hapag-Lloyd one, with an average vessel size of 2,528 TEUs, according to ComPair Data.
The suspension of calls at Puerto Caldera begins from Sept. 19. NYK calls the service MAREXN, and Hapag-Lloyd calls it CCE.
During the suspension, cargo destined for Costa Rica will be handled via transshipment at Manzanillo, Panama and Puerto Limon, Costa Rica’s other major port on the Gulf of Mexico. Exports from Costa Rica will be handled through Puerto Limon.
American Shipper