The CMA CGM Group, a world leader in shipping and logistics, announced today that it will break its own record next week for the largest vessel to ever visit the U.S. East Coast and Canada. The 16,022-TEU CMA CGM MARCO POLO will first set the Canadian record with a stop in Nova Scotia on Monday, May 17. The ship will then break the U.S. East Coast record when it calls New York on Thursday, May 20.

An impressive vessel scheduled to set seven North American big-ship records in 11 days

The CMA CGM MARCO POLO is a massive ship. With a length equivalent to more than 3.5 football fields, the containers fitting on the vessel would span nearly 61 miles if placed end-to-end. In addition to the Canada country and U.S. East Coast records, the CMA CGM MARCO POLO will set individual big-ship records at every port it visits on the North American east coast. This includes Port of Halifax (May 17), Port of New York and New Jersey (May 20), Port of Virginia (May 23), Port of Savannah (May 26) and Port of Charleston (May 28).

Increased capacity to serve our U.S. customers’ needs

The CMA CGM MARCO POLO is sailing on the company’s Columbus JAX service, travelling from South Asia to the East Coast of America. The debut of the vessel on the JAX reflects an increase in capacity. It signifies the Group’s commitment to creating agile and flexible solutions to meet the needs of its U.S. customer base, many of whom are experiencing unprecedented boosts in e-commerce sales and the resulting increased demand for goods.

As one of the nation’s top ocean-freight carriers, CMA CGM is well positioned to serve its customers during these unique times. CMA CGM serves 19 U.S. ports with 34 services and 93 weekly port calls. In addition, the Group’s subsidiary, American President Lines (APL), operates a fleet of U.S.-flagged vessels and supports U.S. territories and American military stationed around the world. The CMA CGM Group employs more than 12,000 team members across the U.S. and is also a leading provider of logistics services through its subsidiary CEVA Logistics.

Ed Aldridge, President of CMA CGM America and APL North America, said, “At CMA CGM, we are dedicated to providing solutions for our customers. The deployment of the CMA CGM MARCO POLO is yet another indicator of our flexibility and commitment to delivering the essentials that keep America moving. It is also important to mention that this milestone would not be possible without the efforts of our port partners on the East Coast. Their intelligent, timely infrastructure improvements to support larger ships make it possible for us to proactively respond to the needs of our customers.”

Calling All Ship Spotters!

In commemoration of the CMA CGM MARCO POLO’s record-breaking journey, CMA CGM Group will host an Instagram contest for the most beautiful pictures in each port city. Contest overview is as follows:

• Simply post your best shots on Instagram, tagging @CMACGM with at least one of the following hashtags: #CMACGMRecord / #CMACGMMarcoPolo / #CCMarcoPoloHalifax / #CCMarcoPoloNYC / #CCMarcoPoloNorfolk / #CCMarcoPoloSavannah / #CCMarcoPoloCharleston
• CMA CGM will choose three winners per port city.
• The fifteen winners will receive an unprecedented privilege: a tour of the CMA CGM MARCO POLO during its next port call in the applicable city (date TBC).
• Contest rules can downloaded here