CMA CGM vessel AFRICA FOUR arrived at the Port of Oakland last Friday, kicking off its new direct vessel service connecting China and Oakland.
Oakland will be its first U.S. stop in the company’s weekly Golden Gate Bridge service, which encompasses the ports of Shanghai, Yantian and Kaohsiung in China to Oakland, according to the port. The vessels – which will carry anywhere between 5,000 to 6,000 TEUs – will also stop in Seattle before heading back to China.
“The CMA CGM Group is pleased to introduce this Golden Gate Bridge service as we seek new ways to provide our customers with differentiated services, fast transit times and efficient access to their inland destinations,” said Ed Aldridge, President of CMA CGM America and APL North America. “We look forward to working closely with the Port of Oakland to help customers increase their speed to market and infuse more consistency into their supply chains.”
This is the first time in over a decade that the Northern California port has offered “a first-call service to U.S. importers,” which will mean more containers and rail cargo from Oakland, the port said.
This new service comes as e-commerce continues to grow in the U.S.
“This opens up so many possibilities,” said Port of Oakland Maritime Director Bryan Brandes. “Our customers can significantly improve the transit time for getting their products to consumers with a first-call and also use Oakland to reach the U.S. interior through our rail connections.”
