On December 26, 2015, the Port of Oakland berthed the largest cargo ship to ever visit the U.S. The CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin, at 1,310-feet nearly a quarter-mile long, tied up at the Port’s Outer Harbor, symbolically opened the Trans-Pacific trade route between Asia and Oakland to megaships.
Until today, megaships carrying 18,000 containers or more have been used exclusively in Asia-Europe trade lanes. Now that the CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin has proven workable in Oakland, other megaships will likely follow. They’re the most cost-effective, fuel efficient and environmentally friendly vessels afloat. The port spent $400 million on dredging and upgrading cranes to handle mega-container ships.
French shipping line CMA-CGM launched the CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin on December 10. CMA CGM officials said they’re deploying the ship in a regular service connecting China with the U.S. West Coast.
Vessel particulars:
- Ship Builder: Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding (a CSSC’s subsidiary)
- Deadweight Tonnage: 185,000 tons
- Year of built: 2015
- Building cost: $151 million
- Gross Weight Tonnage: 175,000 tons
- Net Weight Tonnage: 100,000 tons
- Container capacity: 18,000 TEU / 1,100 TEU refrigerated containers (reefers)
- Cargo tonnage 240,000 tons
- Flag: UK
- Length: 398 m / 1,305 ft
- Breadth (Width): 54 m / 177 ft
- Draught (Draft): 16 m / 53 ft
- Engines: MAN B&W 11S90ME-C9.2
- Fuel consumption – 330 tons per day
- Cruising Speed: 25 kn / 29 mph / 47 km/h
- Power output: 87,900 hp / 65,500 kW
- Crew capacity: 27