Great White Fleet Splits US Coast Services to 2026
Shippers on Central America-US routes will see Port Everglades move to a separate PEWI loop beginning December 2026.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Transportation
Chiquita's Great White Fleet will restructure its Central America-United States service network in December 2026, removing Port Everglades from its USSE service and launching a separate weekly Port Everglades-Wilmington service branded PEWI. Operators shipping between Central America and the US East Coast or Gulf Coast will see their port calls and sailing loops change.
Why it matters
The restructuring splits Gulf Coast and US East Coast coverage into two dedicated loops rather than one combined rotation. Shippers that relied on Port Everglades under the existing USSE schedule will need to plan around its transfer to the new PEWI service.
The PEWI service runs weekly with two container ships of roughly 1,800 TEUs each. The source gives no prior-service comparison for capacity or sailing frequency.
The players
Chiquita Brands International
Chiquita Brands International is a major fresh produce company whose Great White Fleet operates a banana and fresh produce shipping network between Central America and the United States.
The details
Under the new structure, Great White Fleet moves the Port Everglades call from its USSE rotation onto the PEWI service, which pairs Port Everglades with Wilmington, Delaware. The USSE loop continues on a separate rotation through Puerto Barrios, Puerto Cortés, Puerto Barrios, Gulfport, Freeport, Texas, and back to Puerto Barrios, so Central America stays on both services. Separating the two coasts into dedicated loops means each route is scheduled independently.
Timeline
December 2026: Great White Fleet restructuring takes effect.
Market Landscape
The change separates Gulf Coast and US East Coast coverage into two dedicated loops rather than one combined rotation. It reflects a carrier reorganizing its Central America-US network around distinct regional routes.
Shippers using Port Everglades or the Gulf Coast ports on Great White Fleet's Central America routes should review their December 2026 booking schedules against the new PEWI and USSE rotations. Logistics teams should confirm which service each lane now runs on before committing volume.
The takeaway
The operating takeaway is that Great White Fleet is splitting its US coverage into separate coast-specific loops, so lane planning must follow each service independently. Operators should confirm their December 2026 port calls and sailing dates with the carrier before the change takes effect.
Further reading
For broader context on how carriers schedule and deploy container capacity, see Transportation.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Container News.
