HCMC – Cai Mep International Terminal (CMIT) has handled the Maersk Cap Jackson, the first vessel deployed on Maersk’s seasonal TPX service, establishing a direct shipping route linking Vietnam, South Korea and the U.S. West Coast.
The Maersk Cap Jackson, with a deadweight tonnage of 59,336 tons and a capacity of 4,600 TEUs, operates on Maersk’s only standalone trans-Pacific service, sailing on the Cai Mep–Busan–Long Beach–Cai Mep route.
At CMIT in HCMC, stevedoring crews handled nearly 1,400 TEUs of cargo and empty containers in just over nine hours, achieving a productivity rate of around 120 containers per hour and enabling the vessel to depart on schedule.
With the addition of the TPX service, CMIT now operates nine long-haul international routes connecting Vietnam directly with major markets in the Americas and Europe.
The inaugural call comes as southeastern Vietnam’s maritime infrastructure continues to improve its global standing. In 2025, the Cai Mep port cluster was ranked first in Southeast Asia and 11th worldwide in the Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) compiled by the World Bank and S&P Global.
The TPX, or Transpacific Express, is a long-haul container shipping service operated by Danish shipping giant Maersk.
Industry observers say the decision by the world’s largest container carrier to launch a standalone trans-Pacific route through Cai Mep underscores the strategic importance of the deep-water port. Direct services to Long Beach via Busan could help Vietnamese exporters reduce reliance on regional transshipment hubs and improve supply chain predictability.
Faster vessel turnaround times and more efficient container circulation are expected to lower warehousing and logistics costs for key export sectors such as textiles, electronics and furniture bound for the U.S. market.
The development also reinforces the role of the Cai Mep port complex in southern Vietnam’s expanding industrial and logistics network following the administrative merger of HCMC with Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau. Combined with deep-water access and increasingly sophisticated port management, the port cluster is positioning itself as a key gateway for global manufacturers seeking direct access to major consumer markets.
