TecPlata, International Container Terminal Services, Inc.'s (ICTSI) cargo handling operations at the La Plata Port received the inaugural call of Zim Integrated Shipping Services (ZIM) Patagonia Express Service (PES) that connects Argentinian trade to the United States and the Caribbean Gulf.

La Plata Port, located adjacent to Buenos Aires in Argentina, will receive ZIM's newly launched service links Argentina to the Caribbean and the US Gulf Coast through the ports of Kingston, a major Caribbean hub, and Houston in the Gulf of Mexico. 

"The service marked its inaugural call at TecPlata with the arrival of the 1,000-TEU boxship Contship Key, and with its present network set up, is expected to call TecPlata every 45 days," ICTSI said in a statement.

It added that the maritime service from La Plata to Kingston and Houston provides a reliable and efficient connection for Argentinian foreign trade, offering commercial opportunities that promote economic growth in the region.

"We are pleased to receive the Contship Key at TecPlata and start this new connection with the North American gulf coast," said Juan Pablo Trujillo, TecPlata's chief executive officer. "This strategic alliance with ZIM enables us to offer new services and logistics distribution to our clients."

"We are confident that this service will strengthen TecPlata's position as a strategic trade port on the East Coast of South America," he added.

ICTSI noted that ZIM's arrival in TecPlata further expands the connectivity of La Plata beyond the Latin America region.