After 20 years, Progreso now has a direct route, on Sunday, August 27, the Northern Explorer, a ship owned by Seatrade Reefer Chartering NV Shipping company, departed Progreso and connected with a port in Flushing Holland, within a 12 day trip.

On the inaugural trip, 2 thousand tons of grapefruit were transported, the exportable offer by the Yucatan has strongly promoted the service of this new shipping company, the anchor cargos first travels were basicly citrics, transporting the season’s local fruit, and in its last trips sea’s products, such as octopus will be transported.

The State of Yucatan is the number one producer of red grapefruit and octopus, a cargo that this year recuperates its direct departure from Progreso.

In 5 shipments, 10 thousand tons of citrics will be exported, mainly red grapefruit and in a smaller amounts persian lemons and oranges, the frequency of the shipments will be every 12 days, the distribution center will be in Holland, with transportation of the citrics by land to: France, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, England and Italy, purchasing by these countries has positioned Yucatan as the number one red grapefruit exporter nationwide in 2005, with a movement of 6,400 tons.

This year the exports are being consolidated, with the opening of the Eastern Europe markets: Russian and Poland, as well as Northern Europe: Norway and Finland and Central Europe: Slovenia, Hungary and the Czech Republic.

The refrigerated storage service of the Port has been managed by Interalta since 2004, which fosters this exchange of citrics harvested by Proagro in Oxkuztcab, Yucatan, as well as different fruits and vegetables harvested in the Southern Cone, Tekax, Acanceh, Baca and other areas of Yucatan.

The shipping agency that provides the service is del Valle Customs Agency, managed by Jorge Baqueiro, which may be contacted by future clients interested in exporting or importing refrigerated cargos with this Progreso-Flushing-Progreso direct service at jorgeb@aadelvalle.com.mx