IN Brief:
- Ocean Alliance is adding a weekly CBX container service linking Jacksonville with key Asian markets.
- The service is operated by CMA CGM, COSCO Shipping, Evergreen Marine, and OOCL.
- JAXPORT said the new loop will improve routing flexibility, export transit, and equipment positioning for Southeast US shippers.
JAXPORT is set to receive a new direct container link to Asia after Ocean Alliance confirmed the launch of its Chesapeake Bay Express service, adding Jacksonville to a weekly rotation spanning Vietnam, China, South Korea, and Japan. The inaugural sailing is due to arrive at the Florida port in June 2026.
The CBX service is jointly operated by CMA CGM, COSCO Shipping, Evergreen Marine, and OOCL. The port rotation includes Vũng Tàu, Yantian, Shanghai, Busan, and Kobe before transiting the Panama Canal and calling Norfolk, Charleston, Savannah, and Jacksonville, where the service will complete its US East Coast sequence before returning to Vietnam.
Cargo will be handled by SSA Marine at the modernised SSA Jacksonville Container Terminal on Blount Island. The facility has been upgraded to support larger vessels and higher container volumes, with JAXPORT citing a 47-foot deepwater shipping channel, modern cargo-handling equipment, and expanded capacity as part of the terminal’s current offer.
Eric Green, Chief Executive Officer at JAXPORT, said: “The addition of the Ocean Alliance further strengthens Jacksonville’s position as a strategic gateway for global trade. 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.”
Jacksonville will serve as the final US port of call on the loop, a position that gives shippers additional scope for equipment repositioning and faster handling of export cargoes moving out of the Southeast. The launch also adds another Asia-facing option for businesses using Florida and the wider Southeast as a gateway for manufacturing, distribution, and retail freight flows.
