CMA CGM Argentina: Largest Containership to Call a Japanese Port

The CMA CGM Group said this week it had received the arrival of the CMA CGM Argentina containership as its largest vessel to call at the Honmoku D4 terminal in Yokohama, Japan.

The containership is one of two 15,000-TEU series that the group has deployed on the weekly Asia Central South America 1 (ACSA1) service. 

Arriving from central and south America, the CMA CGM Argentina is now the largest containership to call a Japanese port on a regular service and has brought import shipments of fresh fruits from Ecuador and Guatemala, as well as coffee and malt from Colombia and Mexico, CMA CGM said.

A shipping service that connects the Asia-Latin America trade corridor, the ACSA1 service makes a port stop at the Honmoku D4 terminal each week. 

Operated by CMA CGM, the terminal has a total annual operating capacity of over 550,000 TEUs and contributes to about 15 % of Yokohama's port throughput. From Yokohama, CMA CGM Argentina will head for Busan in Korea and Shekou in China to complete its westbound leg of the ACSA1 service. 

From Shekou, the eastbound lap of the service commences with the rotation of Shekou - Hong Kong – Kaohsiung – Ningbo – Shanghai – Busan – Manzanillo - Lazaro Gardens – Buenaventura – Callao – Posorja – Lazaro – Manzanillo – Yokohama – Busan - Shekou.

Hideki Uchida, President of CMA CGM Japan, said: “The CMA CGM Group’s 15,000-TEU series of vessels will stand as the largest regular service vessels to call Japan today. The introduction of the larger vessels on the ACSA1 service will not only accommodate more Yokohama-bound fresh produce on a single voyage, they are part of our plans to grow inbound cargoes from Central and Southern America ahead. Importantly, they equip us with more capabilities to further facilitate trade flows between Latin America and Asia.” 

Shinya Hitomi, President & CEO, Yokohama Kawasaki International Port Corporation, said: “We, Yokohama Kawasaki International Port Corporation (YKIP), are proud that Yokohama port has been selected as a port of call for the CMA CGM Group’s 15,000-TEU class vessels. YKIP will continue to improve its equipment and facilities to ensure that shipping lines are satisfied whenever their vessels call at the Port of Yokohama. 

Looking ahead, YKIP is currently proceeding with development works of the Honmoku Futo D5 container terminal.” 

The CMA CGM Group has been operating for over 16 years with three branch offices and one terminal in Japan and a combined workforce of over 200 staff members. 

The group operates 20 weekly mainline services at five major gateway ports in the country.

In October 2022, the CMA CGM Group and Yokohama Kawasaki International Port Corporation signed a reservation agreement for Honmokufuto D5 Terminal in the Port of Yokohama. By October 2026, CMA CGM’s current container terminal operations at D4 will be relocated to the new D5, a larger and more sustainable terminal backed by an infrastructure of near-zero emission rubber tyred gantry cranes, cold ironing, and LNG bunkering facilities.