CMA CGM expands Ocean Rise route

CMA CGM’s “Ocean Rise” service started in February 2026 as a weekly Asia-North Europe product, but the route has since been extended into the Middle East via Jeddah. The French shipping group said on February 27 that Ocean Rise Express would connect Japan and South China directly to North Europe, with inaugural sailing set for April 2. On May 2, Saudi Ports Authority Mawani said Jeddah Islamic Port had added CMA CGM’s Ocean Rise service, giving the loop a Red Sea call and extending it into the MENA corridor. That matters because the original CMA CGM launch did not include a Middle East stop. The company’s February announcement listed a rotation of Kobe, Nagoya, Yokohama, Xiamen, Yantian, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Southampton, Nansha and back to Kobe. Mawani’s May announcement described Ocean Rise as linking Jeddah with ports in Japan, China and Europe, indicating the service had been broadened after launch. (cmacgm-group.com) ### Where exactly does the route run now? Mawani said on May 2 that the service connects Jeddah Islamic Port with Kobe, Nagoya and Yokohama in Japan; Xiamen, Yantian and Nansha in China; Rotterdam in the Netherlands; Hamburg in Germany; and Southampton in the UK. That adds a Red Sea gateway to the east-west lane CMA CGM had already marketed as a direct Japan/South China-to-North Europe service. (cmacgm-group.com) The Saudi statement said the service has a handling capacity of up to 3,001 TEUs. CMA CGM’s February launch said the broader Ocean Rise Express network uses 14 vessels ranging from 7,000 to 10,000 TEUs, including one 8,000-TEU LNG-powered containership, on a weekly basis. ### What did CMA CGM originally promise on Ocean Rise? CMA CGM said on February 27 that Ocean Rise Express would offer what it called the “best transit times in the market” between Japan, South China and North Europe. (spa.gov.sa) The company said cargo from Yokohama could reach Rotterdam in 38 days, Hamburg in 41 days and Southampton in 45 days, while cargo from Yantian could reach Rotterdam in 32 days, Hamburg in 35 days and Southampton in 38 days. Bo Wegener, chief executive of CMA CGM Asia Pacific, said the launch highlighted “the strategic importance of the Asia-Europe trade within CMA CGM’s global network.” He said the service was intended to deliver greater value and reliability to customers. ### Why is the Jeddah call notable? (cmacgm-group.com) Jeddah is significant because CMA CGM’s alliance network has not fully restored direct Asia-Red Sea coverage. The company said in a January 21 announcement on Ocean Alliance’s 2026 network that its two direct services connecting Asia to the Red Sea were “suspended until further notice.” (cmacgm-group.com) Mawani said the Ocean Rise addition would support Saudi exports and imports and strengthen the kingdom’s maritime connectivity with international markets. The port authority has also been expanding infrastructure at Jeddah: CMA CGM and Red Sea Gateway Terminal signed a term sheet in October 2025 for a planned Terminal 4 joint venture involving a SAR 1.7 billion, or about $450 million, investment and 2.6 million TEUs of capacity. (cmacgm-group.com) ### Does this mean Red Sea traffic is back to normal? CMA CGM’s own statements do not say that. The company said in December 2023 it had taken preventive measures in response to attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, and its January 2026 Ocean Alliance update said direct Asia-Red Sea services remained suspended. (spa.gov.sa) What the new filings and port statements do show is narrower: CMA CGM launched Ocean Rise as an Asia-Europe service, and Saudi authorities later confirmed Jeddah had been added to that service. That gives CMA CGM a named Red Sea call on a route that now spans Asia, Europe and the Middle East. (cmacgm-group.com) Mawani’s May 2 statement and CMA CGM’s service pages are the next places to watch for weekly call schedules and any further port additions on Ocean Rise. (spa.gov.sa) (cmacgm-group.com)