Port of New York and New Jersey marked the arrival of the CMA CGM Theodore Roosevelt, which passed under the newly raised Bayonne Bridge to make berth at APM Terminals in Elizabeth, New Jersey.
With a total cargo capacity of 14,414 TEUs, the Theodore Roosevelt is the largest container vessel ever to call the port’s berths.
The Roosevelt’s visit is part of her maiden voyage after departing Asia’s shipyards on July 26 of this year to begin her rotation on CMA CGM’s South Atlantic Express Rotation (SAX) from Hong Kong to Shanghai. Her call on the Port of New York and New Jersey, the largest port on the East Coast of North America, highlights the success of the Bayonne Bridge Navigational Clearance Program, which increased the air draft of this iconic span in conjunction with other projects, such as the Harbor Deepening Program, aimed at facilitating commerce with larger, next-generation container vessels.
Thanks to these various improvements, the Port of New York and New Jersey can now welcome vessels as large as 18,000 TEUs to port terminals in Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey, as well in Staten Island, New York. Vessels exceeding 14,000 TEUs will begin to make their first ports of call at the Port of New York and New Jersey in approximately one month.
After assessing their service needs and the state of the port’s improvements, CMA CGM announced that the Port of New York and New Jersey will now be the first port of call on their service string.
To date, France-based CMA CGM Group has named six ships after U.S. presidents.
On the decision to name the Theodore Roosevelt after America’s 26th president, CMA CGM Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jacques R. Saadé said: “He [Roosevelt] was an extraordinary individual and leader, and a historic symbol of both New York City and the nation.”
