Three U.S. ports announce global carrier agreements in new foreign markets

Several new ocean cargo vessel deployment announcements suggest that shippers are reconfiguring supply chains to accommodate uncertainty in the global trade arena. 

With tensions mounting in China, The Port of Oakland will add new direct service to Vietnam by late April. Pacific International Lines (PIL) will launch direct Vietnam links using vessels that can carry up to 11,900 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). PIL’s new service is called AC5 and is in partnership with Cosco and Wan Hai.

The New Vietnam-US West Coast service includes calls to aiphong, Vietnam loop – Haiphong, Nansha, Hong Kong, Yantian, Long Beach, Oakland, Yantian, Haiphong (AC5)

“PIL’s new direct service from the Port of Oakland is a good sign of increasing demand on Vietnam routes,” said Port of Oakland Maritime Director John Driscoll. “Vietnam is showing strong growth in its import and export markets.” 

In 2018, Vietnam was the Port of Oakland’s third largest import market and fifth largest export market. When measured by volume, American exports to Vietnam from Oakland have grown by 126 percent since 2015. Oakland imports from Vietnam have grown 29 percent since 2015. The new PIL service route between the Port of Oakland and Vietnam is in response to Vietnam’s expanding import and export markets.

Meanwhile,  French container shipping giant CMA CGM will begin serving Port Tampa Bay in late May on its Pacific Express 3 (PEX3) service, the port announced recently. The PEX3 port service rotation will be Singapore — Vung Tau — Hong Kong — Shekou — Ningbo — Shanghai — Busan — Panama Canal — Houston — Mobile — New Orleans — Tampa — Miami — Singapore.

French container shipping giant CMA CGM will begin serving Port Tampa Bay in late May on its Pacific Express 3 (PEX3) service.

The PEX3 port service rotation will be Singapore; Vung Tau; Hong Kong; Shekou; Ningbo; Shanghai; Busan; Panama Canal; Houston; Mobile; New Orleans; Tampa; Miami; Singapore.

 “This is a further testament to the growth of the U.S. Gulf market and the significance of the Tampa Bay/I-4 Corridor region, home to the state’s largest concentration of distribution centers, which has become the heartbeat of Florida’s international trade,” said Paul Anderson, Port Tampa Bay president and CEO,

The port recently added two post-Panamax cranes to complement three existing gantry cranes and implemented a phased build-out plan to quadruple capacity over the next few years. Port Tampa Bay also is investing in new facilities to diversify its service.

Finally, Seaboard Marine is launching a new direct, all-water service that connects North Central America to the Port of Savannah. The first vessel is scheduled to depart the Port of Savannah Wednesday, May 8. The service will include two Seaboard Marine vessels and will provide both refrigerated and dry container service to and from the Port of Savannah.

“We are excited about the opportunity to connect our brand of premium service forged over our 35-year history in Central America to this new domestic port,” said Jose Concepcion, Vice President of Central America. “The new North Central American service and the addition of Port of Savannah is an ideal gateway, opening markets in Central America to local exporters by providing the most efficient route available to Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Honduras.”

Concepcion added that The Port of Savannah enables Seaboard Marine to address the personalized needs of shippers by expanding its service network in the Western Hemisphere.