According to Xinhua News, on April 28th, the "Changguan" vessel of Evergreen entered Tianjin Port, marking the official launch of the new direct route from the US West Coast to China, known as the CPS route, operated by the Ocean Alliance. This route, which connects Tianjin, Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, and Los Angeles, has opened up a new sea route for foreign trade enterprises in North China.

Due to heightened geopolitical uncertainty and traditional shipping patterns, shipping companies are generally adopting conservative strategies, even going so far as to cancel sailings to manage capacity and adjust freight rates. Moreover, the north-south routes were divided many years ago, with one route serving the south and another the north. Against this backdrop, Evergreen has not only refrained from scaling back services but has instead deployed new vessels and added new ports of call—a move that seems somewhat unusual.

Those familiar with the market can’t help but wonder: this isn’t the peak season for the U.S. route. In previous years, even during the busiest periods, Tianjin wasn’t included—so why add it now during the off-season?

We spoke with several industry veterans, who were equally puzzled and offered their own speculations:

1. With capacity already running low, wouldn’t it be a relatively low-risk move to call at a few ports along the way?

For a large vessel, the additional cost of calling at one or two extra ports is limited. But if it can load just a few dozen more containers, the cost per container is spread even thinner—especially when freight rates are under pressure, this “load as much as possible” strategy is quite common.

2. Is the Ocean Alliance internally reallocating resources?

For example, if other members reduce their commitment to certain ports, they could consolidate cargo onto the CPS route for “consolidation,” replacing several smaller vessels with a single, highly efficient large vessel—which would actually be more economical overall.

3. Is there a shipment transfer taking place here?

After all, cargo volumes are generally low during the off-season. Without some “targeted support,” relying solely on local cargo flows would likely be insufficient to sustain a direct call at a West Coast U.S. port.

Some observers also speculate whether there is local government support.

According to public reports, if container handling targets for both container types and volume, as well as arrival operations, are met, subsidies of up to 10 million yuan may be available.

This call at Tianjin is not only a result of improved port service capabilities but may also reflect a quiet adjustment in the pace of current trans-Pacific routes. Although it is unclear how long this will last, for companies, having an additional viable port of call always means one more option and greater peace of mind.