The new route is expected to particularly benefit importers of fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables.
A new direct container service is set to open the Montreal-Latin America route to Canadian businesses starting March 31, 2026, the Montreal Port Authority announced.
Carrier CMA CGM will add the Port of Montreal to its existing CAGEMA service rotation, establishing a weekly connection to seven ports across Latin America.
The new service is set to give Canadian importers and exporters a stronger direct alternative to routing Latin American cargo through U.S. East Coast ports.
Latin America currently accounts for about 5% of the Port of Montreal's total traffic, but that share has been growing. In 2025, the port handled 638,000 tonnes of cargo from the region, up 12% from the previous year, with imports alone rising 36% over the same period.
The Montreal-Latin America route will be served by five vessels — CMA CGM Aristote, CMA CGM Homere, CMA CGM Surabaya, CMA CGM Kailas, and CMA CGM Balboa. It will call at seven ports on a weekly schedule.
The service also connects through Port Liberty in New York, where CMA CGM operates nine direct services to India, Turkey, the Mediterranean, Oceania, Asia, and the Middle East.
The Montreal Port Authority says the new service strengthens the port's competitiveness, diversifies the markets it serves, and creates new opportunities for Canadian businesses.
For CMA CGM, the CAGEMA addition expands the carrier's existing Montreal presence into a region it previously did not serve directly from the port, building on an established partnership that covers Northern Europe and Mediterranean routes.
At Cole International, we offer trade consulting and freight forwarding services to help Canadian businesses navigate new trade routes with confidence.
Reach out to one of our trade professionals to discuss how this new Montreal-Latin America route could work for your supply chain.