CMA CGM has announced the launch of Ocean Rise Express (OCR), a new weekly service that will directly connect Japan and Southern China with Northern Europe. The company is positioning this new rotation on the Asia–Europe axis, one of the strategic corridors for its global maritime network.
The new service will be covered by a fleet of fourteen vessels with capacities ranging from 7,000 to 10,000 TEUs. This includes an 8,000 TEU container ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). The line will be wholly operated by CMA CGM.
Ocean Rise Express will offer a direct connection from Japanese and Southern Chinese ports to the main gateways of Northern Europe. From Yokohama, the estimated transit times will be 38 days to Rotterdam, 41 days to Hamburg, and 45 days to Southampton. For departures from Yantian, the expected times are reduced to 32 days to Rotterdam, 35 days to Hamburg, and 38 days to Southampton.
According to the shipping company, these transit times are among the most competitive in the market on this corridor, which will allow for faster delivery of cargo and better access to European markets for Asian shippers. The company also indicates that the service is designed to offer greater reliability in schedules and smoother management of transit flows.
The service rotation will begin on April 2, 2026, with the following sequence of stops: Kobe – Nagoya – Yokohama – Xiamen – Yantian – Rotterdam – Hamburg – Southampton – Nansha – Kobe. This itinerary connects relevant industrial and logistics hubs in Japan and Southern China with the main ports of Northern Europe, forming a weekly closed circuit.
The group frames this launch within its strategy for consolidating the East–West axis, where the Asia–Europe traffic concentrates a substantial part of global container trade. The addition of fourteen vessels dedicated to this rotation will provide the service with weekly regularity and sufficient capacity to handle significant volumes of export and import.
Bo Wegener, CEO of CMA CGM Asia Pacific, has noted that the launch of Ocean Rise Express responds to the strategic importance of the Asia–Europe corridor within the group's global network. According to his statements, improving connectivity between the two regions aims to offer greater value and reliability to customers, as well as solidify the company's position in international trade.
With a planned start in April 2026, Ocean Rise Express will be integrated into CMA CGM's existing offering in Asia–Europe traffic, expanding the direct connection options and available transit times for shippers operating between Japan, Southern China, and Northern Europe.