BananasLong-haul banana trades continue to flourish as consumers in Asia add more of the fruit to their diets.

While container lines gain market share, Ecuador based shipbroker Sopisco argues that specialized liner services could claw back some of the business. Bananas remain a key commodity for specialized reefer carriers and container lines alike, and demand for fruit from leading global supplier Ecuador appears to be rising.

Volume and cargo fixture data captured by specialist shipbroker and agent Sopisco shows that long-haul liftings from Ecuador to China and Saudi Arabia greatly increased over the past few years, with equipment and tonnage shortages restraining growth.

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