San Antonio, Chile. - San Antonio Terminal Internacional (STI), in collaboration with Frutas de Chile, has officially kicked off a new season of maritime cherry exports. According to projections from the Cherry Committee of Frutas de Chile, the export volume for the 2025-2026 season could reach a record 131 million boxes, equivalent to 655,000 tons. To support this, STI has reinforced its capacity with over 3,000 refrigerated connection points and has adopted artificial intelligence to optimize its operations. The terminal operates four direct routes to Asia, known as Cherry Express, which reduce the sea voyage time between Chile and China to 23 days. "60% of the Cherry Express services, essential for reducing navigation times, operate through STI," highlighted STI's General Manager, Andrés Albertini. He emphasized that the coordination of all actors in the supply chain is key to maintaining the sector's competitiveness and continuing to position Chile as a leader in fruit exports. Currently, 90% of the total volume of fresh cherries is shipped by sea, with Cherry Express vessels being essential for their direct route to the main destination market, China. To ensure the fruit arrives in optimal condition, the terminal will offer more than 3,000 connection points for refrigerated containers. Additionally, STI has a digitized operational system, reinforced security protocols, and automated workflows. In parallel, it is developing artificial intelligence and telemetry initiatives designed to optimize operation times and anticipate logistical contingencies. "Each season represents a large-scale logistical challenge," stated Claudia Soler, Executive Director of the Cherry Committee of Frutas de Chile. She noted that while last year was a record in volume, it faced price difficulties, so measures have been taken to ensure the prestige and quality of the fruit. The start of the 2025-2026 season is characterized by an increase in vessel availability, reaching 32 services, which guarantees greater frequency, coverage, and flexibility for exporters. Currently, STI, operated by Hanseatic Global Terminals and SSA Marine, is positioned as the Chilean terminal with the highest service offering during this season. Chilean cherries are considered a "fundamental ambassador of Chilean agriculture and the country" in China.