INTERNATIONAL Container Terminal Services, Inc's (ICTSI) Ecuadorian business unit operating at the Port of Guayaquil, Contecon Guayaquil SA, last month received the inaugural call of COSCO Shipping's Asia-Central and South America 5 (WSA5) service, marking a highpoint in the country's foreign trade.

The WSA5 service is the first direct shipping connection between Ecuador and Asia via the Port of Chancay in Peru, ICTSI said in a statement.

The WSA5 service offers a streamlined route that enables cargo to reach Shanghai in just 27 days - an improvement over existing routes with longer transit times.

With a stop in Chancay, the service provides a faster, more cost-effective, and more reliable option for Ecuadorian exports, including bananas and shrimp, to Asia.

COSCO's decision to add Contecon Guayaquil to the WSA5 service's rotation highlights the terminal's role in global trade. The service also supports Ecuador's broader trade goals, leveraging the country's Free Trade Agreement with China to boost exports.

The WSA5 service includes calls at key ports such as Dalian, Ningbo, Shanghai, and Qingdao in China, as well as Ensenada, Manzanillo, and Lazaro Cardenas in Mexico, before calling at Buenaventura, Colombia; Guayaquil, Ecuador; and Chancay, Peru. From there, the service makes its way back to Shanghai and Dalian, completing a seamless trade loop between Latin America and Asia.