Special maritime tribute to U.S. independence staged by CMA CGM Group

The CMA CGM Group, a leader in ocean cargo shipping and logistics, has announced that it will pay a special maritime tribute to America in honor of its U.S. shippers and logistics  on July 3rd. 

As the 9,953-TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) CMA CGM IVANHOE passes under the Golden Gate Bridge on July 3rd at approximately 4:30 p.m., the Group will unfurl four 30’ x 60’ American flags with the sounding of a horn. Spectators will also be treated to a full water-cannon salute as the vessel sails under the iconic American landmark.

“We are honored to have our roots where so many serve and also to participate in the supply chain for this great country. The 4th of July is the perfect holiday to express our heartfelt thanks,” says Ludovic Renou, President – CMA CGM America. “The United States has stood the test of time through ingenuity and hard work, and our customers and employees exemplify those core values daily. The trust they place in CMA CGM is the reason we have become the leading ocean freight carrier in the U.S.”

In the spirit of the holiday, the Group will be encouraging people in San Francisco to share pictures of the event via social media using #WeCelebrateUSA @cmacgm.

As the nation's top ocean freight carrier, CMA CGM America serves 18 U.S. ports with 34 services and 85 weekly port calls. The company and its subsidiaries employ more than 11,000 team members in the United States. CMA CGM America has its corporate office in Norfolk, VA. The area is home to the largest Naval base in the world and the only NATO command on U.S. soil. It also boasts one of the world’s largest populations of active-duty military personnel at approximately 83,000.

As a testimony to its commitment to the U.S., the Group has over the years established several records in the U.S. maritime community.

As reported in LM three years ago, the 18,000-teu CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin was thus inaugurated in Long Beach, becoming the largest vessel to ever call the U.S. in a landmark event for the country’s shipping industry, symbolizing the Group’s faith in the U.S. and in its economy.

In September 2017, the 14,414-TEU CMA CGM Theodore Roosevelt also became the largest ship ever to call at the Port of New York and New Jersey as it was selected by the Port Authority to participate in the inauguration of the elevated Bayonne Bridge connecting New Jersey with Staten Island.