Score another win for a U.S. East Coast port opening a new direct connection to Asia.
CMA CGM and its partners in the Ocean Alliance have added a direct container service from China and Asia markets to the Port of Jacksonville, Fla.
Operated on a weekly basis, the Chesapeake Bay Express (CBX) is jointly provided by CMA CGM of France, China’s Cosco (1919.HK) and subsidiary OOCL, and Evergreen Marine (2603.TW) of Taiwan.
The inaugural sailing will arrive at Jaxport in June, the port said in an announcement.
The CBX port rotation includes Vung Tau, Vietnam; Yantian and Shanghai in China; Busan, South Korea; Kobe, Japan; transit of the Panama Canal; Norfolk; Charleston; Savannah; and Jacksonville on the U.S. East Coast; and a return to Vung Tau.
Located near Ho Chi Minh City in the busiest Cai Mep–Thi Vai Port Cluster, Vung Tau handled about 152 million metric tonnes of cargo in 2024, or roughly 34% of Vietnam’s total container volume. It is one of the few Vietnamese ports that can handle very large vessels, including ships up 14,000 TEUs or larger, which makes it strategically important for direct long-haul trade.
At Jaxport, SSA Marine will provide stevedoring services at the newly modernized SSA Jacksonville Container Terminal at Blount Island Marine Terminal.
“The addition of the Ocean Alliance further strengthens Jacksonville’s position as a strategic gateway for global trade,” said Jaxport Chief Executive Eric Green, in a statement. “This service expands routing flexibility between the southeast United States and key Asian markets and underscores how our continued infrastructure investments are delivering efficient, reliable service for global carriers.”
As the final U.S. port of call on CBX, and the busiest Florida port by volume, Jaxport will be a key center for equipment repositioning and expedited transit for U.S. export cargoes.
A project to increase the air draft at the Blount Island terminal to 205 feet remains on schedule for completion by the end of 2026.
Read more articles by Stuart Chirls here.
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