In January 2025, Hong Kong processed the highest number of Chilean cherry containers since the pandemic, with 6,500 containers arriving from Chile. These shipments primarily served the Mainland China markets, handled at Modern Terminals via the 'Cherry Express' service by Hapag-Lloyd, MSC, ONE, and HMM. Modern Terminals, part of the Hong Kong Seaport Alliance, operates 23 berths with a reefer plug capacity exceeding 7,800 plugs.
Chilean cherries are annually exported to Mainland China in large volumes, symbolizing joy and good fortune, and are popular gifts before the Chinese New Year. This year, the first day of the Chinese New Year was January 29, leading to a record influx of containers in the preceding weeks.
Hong Kong processes approximately 40% of Chilean cherries entering Mainland China, maintaining its status as the largest gateway port for this trade, which saw record export volumes from Chile in the 2024/2025 season. The reliability of Hong Kong terminals is crucial for Chilean exporters and South China importers, ensuring efficient delivery across China.
About 50% of cherry containers are dispatched from Hong Kong terminals within an hour of discharge, reaching South China's wholesale markets shortly after. Horace Lo, Group Managing Director of Modern Terminals, noted an anticipated 40-50% growth in container volumes this season. He expressed gratitude to stakeholders in the Chilean cherry sector, emphasizing Hong Kong's commitment to maintaining its position as the primary gateway for Chilean cherry exports to China.
Source: Modern Terminals