Ocean Network Express Pte. Ltd. (ONE) has selected Broward County's Port Everglades as the U.S. port of call on its newly minted FLX service that will bring refrigerated fruits, vegetables and seafood from the farms of South America to the tables of South Florida.
On August 25, ONE announced its FLX service will employ Florida International Terminal (FIT) located at Port Everglades for its first foray into the North-South trade lanes. The major carrier is known for its East-West transits and striking magenta cargo containers.
The FLX service is expected to launch in September 2023 and connect Port Everglades to Callao and Paita (Peru), and Guayaquil (Ecuador).
"Port Everglades provides the competitive edge that shipping lines like ONE need and expect," said Jonathan Daniels, CEO and Port Director of Port Everglades. "With our prominence in the perishables market and efficient terminal operators such as FIT, we are the natural port of choice to serve as the South Florida home for the FLX service."
In its July announcement about the new FLX service, ONE said it "will deploy four vessels in order to ensure schedule stability" while connecting the West Coast of South America to the East Coast of North America "with one of the fastest transit times on the market."
"We are very pleased to join this new ONE offering, which seeks a direct and fast connection to Latin America," said FIT General Manager Justin P. Weir.
Port Everglades is a stalwart seaport for international trade. The port handles an average of one-million TEUs annually (20-foot equivalent units) and has direct access to the interstate highway system. The Florida East Coast Railway's near-dock, 43-acre Intermodal Container Transfer Facility connects cargo with 70% of the U.S. population within 72 hours. The seaport is closer to the Atlantic Shipping Lanes than any other Southeastern U.S. port.