Season’s First Sea Shipments of Chilean Cherries en Route to China

Last week, two Cherry Express vessels departed from Chile’s two major ports, marking the official launch of the 2025/26 Chilean cherry sea shipment season. On Nov. 11, the MSC Lome V set sail from the Port of San Antonio bound for China. Three days later, on Nov. 14, the HMM Blessing departed from the Port of Valparaíso, also heading to China.

The MSC Lome V operates on the MSC Alpaca service and is carrying cherries from Garces Fruit, one of Chile’s leading cherry exporters. Garces Fruit announced the shipment on its LinkedIn account, noting that it represents the season’s first Cherry Express delivery. The vessel is transporting approximately 500 containers, with an expected arrival at the Port of Nansha, Guangzhou, on the morning of Dec. 6.

The Alpaca service was launched by MSC to meet peak-season demand for cherry exports. Initiated in September of this year, the service provides direct connections to Chinese ports in Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shanghai, with a transit time of just 23 days.

The HMM Blessing is carrying approximately 400 containers (6,000 metric tons) of cherries and is expected to reach Hong Kong on the morning of Dec. 7. This season, the Port of Valparaíso plans to dispatch 17 cherry express vessels, transporting around 300,000 metric tons of cherries, with an average transit time of 22 days.

According to data released by the Chilean Cherry Committee of Frutas de Chile, total cherry exports for the 2025/26 season are forecast to reach 131 million cartons, slightly surpassing last season’s record. With Chinese New Year falling unusually late in 2026, on Feb. 17, the main shipment schedule for Chilean cherries will shift from December to January. Owing to the extended trading window, this year’s peak cherry sales period is anticipated to be longer than usual.

Image: Pixabay

This article was translated from Chinese. Read the original article.