Mercosul line places an order for two container vessel in Brazil

P&O Nedlloyd's Brazilian flagged carrier, Mercosul Line, has placed an order for two container vessels of 1700 teu to be built at Enstalleiro Itajai in Brazil. The vessels are to be delivered in 2003/4.

Mercosul Line offers a regular service between Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil. These four countries make up the Mercosul Tradebloc.

For Mercosul Line, as well as for P&O Nedlloyd, this investment underscores the importance of the growing Mercosul Trade and the rapidly developing economies of, particularly, Brazil.

As part of the Mercosul Line service, P&O Nedlloyd will be able to offer through documents to and from ports which are not direct calls for the various international services operating on the East Coast of South America.

Commenting on the contract, P&O Nedlloyd Director Rutger van Slobbe said, "This contract further enhances the strong ties between Brazil and P&O Nedlloyd which have existed over many years."