Ocean Network Express (ONE) will add a second eastbound call at Rio de Janeiro to its weekly East Coast South America Express 2 (SX2) service, giving the loop two stops at the Brazilian port during every round voyage.

The revised rotation reads: Pusan – Shanghai – Shekou – Singapore – Rio de Janeiro – Santos – Itapoa – Rio de Janeiro – Singapore – Cai Mep – Haiphong.

ONE has set the change in motion with a named vessel and a date. The updated rotation begins with Seattle Bridge, voyage 0105E, and the vessel's second call at Rio de Janeiro is scheduled for 15 October 2026.

For shippers moving cargo between Asia and Brazil's Southeast, the practical effect is straightforward. Cargo discharged or loaded at Rio de Janeiro now has two windows per sailing rather than one, which widens the range of cut-off and availability dates on each weekly departure. Importers and exporters in the Rio catchment — one of Brazil's largest consumer and industrial markets — gain scheduling flexibility without any change in the service's weekly frequency.

The insertion also reshapes the sequencing of Brazilian port calls on the loop. Rio de Janeiro now brackets the Santos and Itapoa stops, with the vessel calling Rio first, working south, then returning to Rio before heading back to Singapore. That structure suggests ONE wants to capture both inbound Asian cargo destined for Rio at the start of the Brazil leg and export cargo — much of it likely refrigerated or commodity-linked — loaded after the Santos and Itapoa calls, picked up on the return stop.

For forwarders and BCOs booking on the trade, the change means paying close attention to which of the two Rio calls their bookings fall under, as transit times to and from Asian ports will differ depending on the position of the call in the rotation.

ONE framed the adjustment as part of a broader network effort. The carrier said the change "forms part of its efforts to optimise its network and improve reliability across its core trade corridors."

The move signals where ONE sees volume and revenue potential. Asia–East Coast South America has been one of the more resilient east–west trades for carriers, supported by steady Brazilian import demand and robust export flows. Deploying an additional port call on an existing weekly string — rather than adding tonnage or a new loop — is a capital-light way to deepen exposure to the Rio market while keeping capacity on the trade flat.

For competitors on the lane, including the other major alliances and independent operators serving Asia–Brazil, ONE's double Rio call raises the bar on port coverage in Brazil's Southeast and may prompt a review of their own Brazilian port pairings.

The first proof point comes quickly. Watch the Seattle Bridge on voyage 0105E, and the 15 October 2026 second Rio call, to see whether the doubled stop translates into firfer reliability and fuller utilisation on the corridor.