Biggest container ship to visit US enters San Francisco Bay
Posted December 31, 2015 6:00 am
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The largest container ship to visit the U.S. passed under the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco before arriving at the Port of Oakland.
The nearly quarter-mile-long megaship named the Benjamin Franklin set sail from China earlier this month with a stop in Los Angeles after Christmas. It cleared the famous bridge Thursday with about 20 feet of space to spare.
The megaship can hold up to 18,000 20-foot shipping containers. The largest ships serving the U.S. can carry 14,000 containers.
The Franklin's visit to Oakland is considered a trial run. Officials want to ensure that the vessel can be berthed and cargo discharged efficiently.
The megaship is expected to set sail for China on Sunday.
The 1,300-foot-long Benjamin Franklin cargo ship heads for the Port of Oakland as it passes under the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015. The ship is the largest ever to visit the United States and is 10th largest container ship in the world. It was launched from a Chinese shipyard last month and is stopping in Oakland on its maiden voyage. (Jane Tyska/Oakland Tribune via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
The Associated Press
The 1,300-foot-long Benjamin Franklin cargo ship passes under the western span of the Bay Bridge on its way to the Port of Oakland as seen from Yerba Buena Island in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015. The ship is the largest ever to visit the United States and is 10th largest container ship in the world. It was launched from a Chinese shipyard last month and is making a stop in Oakland on its maiden voyage. (Jane Tyska/Oakland Tribune via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
The Associated Press
The megaship CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin pulls into Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015. The ship is nearly a quarter-mile long and is the biggest cargo ship ever to visit the United States. (Dan Honda/The Contra Costa Times via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
The Associated Press
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