Port of Oakland adds shipping service to Vietnam

The Port of Oakland announced that it will add a direct service to Vietnam by late April. 
   Pacific International Lines (PIL) will launch direct Vietnam links using vessels that can carry up to 11,900 20-foot containers. PIL’s new service is called AC5 and is in partnership with COSCO and Wan Hai.
   The new Vietnam-U.S. West Coast service will be a Haiphong, Vietnam loop — Haiphong, Nansha, Hong Kong, Yantian, Long Beach, Oakland, Yantian, Haiphong (AC5).
   “PIL’s new direct service from the Port of Oakland is a good sign of increasing demand on Vietnam routes,” said Port of Oakland Maritime Director John Driscoll. “Vietnam is showing strong growth in its import and export markets.”
   In 2018, Vietnam was the Port of Oakland’s third-largest import market and fifth-largest export market. When measured by volume, American exports to Vietnam from Oakland have grown by 126 percent since 2015, according to the port, which said Oakland imports from Vietnam have grown 29 percent since 2015.