The Port of Oakland is set to welcome the largest ship in its history when the MSC Anna calls on its scheduled date of April 16 2020.
In a statement, the port said the vessel has a capacity of 19,462 TEU, and the call is evidence of its continued strength during the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the news comes after the port reported a 7.4% year-on-year (YoY) drop in loaded TEU traffic in March, which it attributed to the pandemic.
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In total, TEU traffic dropped by 11% once imports, exports and empty containers are all taken into account as Oakland became the latest west coast US port to see a decline.
The MSC Aanna will be bigger than the 18,000 TEU CMA Benjamin Franklin, which called in October 2016, and will be among the biggest vessels to ever call at a North American port.
“We’ve spent years, and millions of dollars keeping ahead of the pace of trade and the size of ships,” said Port of Oakland Executive Director Danny Wan.
“We’re ready for the MSC Anna and we’ll welcome her back any time.”
