The Port of Antwerp claims to be the world's largest hub of its kind for banana imports, but now it will also be the first port of unlading as well for shipments from leading export nation Ecuador.

In a release, the port authorities highlighted the European rotation of an MSC container service between the South American west coast and northern Europe had been adjusted to bring reefer cargo from Ecuador to Antwerp in just 17 days.

The move comes at a time of shifting trends toward container shipping at the expense of traditional reefer fleets.

"The Ecuadorian group Noboa has now also decided to send its Bonita brand of bananas from Guayaquil by container carrier instead of the traditional refrigerated ships," the Port of Antwerp said.

"The fruit producer opted for MSC because this shipping company is able to guarantee rapid transit times between Ecuador and northern Europe.

"In fact MSC has changed its sailing schedule specially for this contract, so that Antwerp is now the first port of unlading."

The release said the first reefer container banana shipment arrived Tuesday, after taking off from Guayaquil on May 18, and an average of 260 40-foot reefer containers would be sent weekly.

"Immediately on arrival the containers with bananas are loaded directly from seagoing ship to barge at the MSC Home Terminal, for rapid transfer to the Belgian New Fruit Wharf refrigerated warehouse in the Leopold dock, which in this case is treated by the Customs Service as an extended gateway of the terminal," the release said.

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