Shipping and logistics provider CMA CGM Group has officially launched its new Mekong Transpacific Express (MTE) service, structurally updating its network configuration between Southeast Asia and the United States. The dedicated weekly service succeeds the carrier’s former Java Sea Express (JAX) loop, shifting operational focus to build direct, high-capacity transpacific connections from both Northern and Southern Vietnam to the U.S. West Coast.
The strategic service transition commenced with the maiden voyage of the 9,365-TEU container vessel APL DANUBE, which departed the Port of Haiphong on 28 May 2026.
Expanding Direct Port Coverage Across Vietnam
The MTE loop introduces a comprehensive, carrier-operated schedule designed to offer reliable transit times, uniform schedule integrity, and direct market access for Vietnamese manufacturing exporters:
MTE Service Port Rotation: Haiphong – Vung Tau – Shanghai – Los Angeles – Oakland – Kaohsiung
By integrating direct weekly calls at both Haiphong in the north and Vung Tau in the south, CMA CGM establishes an end-to-end transport framework that eliminates secondary domestic transshipment steps. In the United States, the service calls directly at the group-owned Fenix Marine Services (FMS) terminal in Los Angeles, granting cargo owners direct access to on-dock intermodal rail networks for rapid inland delivery across North America, alongside premium cargo prioritization options.
Enhancing Sub-Regional Feedering and Infrastructure Capacity
To support cargo consolidation from manufacturing hubs adjacent to Ho Chi Minh City, CMA CGM utilizes structured barge connections linking localized river ports directly to the Gemalink Container Terminal in Cai Mep (Vung Tau). This domestic transshipment network is augmented by a premium regional barge service operated by GIL, connecting Phnom Penh Port in Cambodia directly to the deep-water gateway at Gemalink.
The efficiency of these intermodal feeder networks will be further supported by the ongoing Gemalink Phase 2 Expansion Project. This major port infrastructure development is on track to increase the deep-water terminal’s annual throughput capacity from 1.7 million TEUs to 3 million TEUs by 2027, allowing the gateway to seamlessly handle growing volumes of ultra-large container vessels.
Maintaining Multi-Country Southeast Asian Connectivity
While the MTE loop focuses on the fast-growing Vietnam–U.S. trade lane, CMA CGM has put alternative routing plans in place to ensure seamless continuity for shippers across neighboring Southeast Asian industrial centers:
- Singapore and Laem Chabang: Freight volumes originating from Singapore and Thailand are transitioning to the dedicated Pearl River Express (PEARL) service loop.
- Port Klang: Cargo moving out of Malaysia’s primary port will be reliably served via systematic relay connections moving through the Singapore transshipment hub.
Amelie Humphreys, Managing Director of CMA CGM Vietnam, stated that the launch of the Mekong Transpacific Express reflects a long-term commitment to providing resilient supply chain options to the U.S. West Coast as Vietnam’s role in global manufacturing continues to expand. She noted that the group is investing heavily in network strength, terminal control, and service quality to reliably back that regional economic growth.
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