ACROSS THE SEA
Hiroshima has long been a hub of maritime trade in southern Japan. Mazda has been taking advantage of this location since we started shipping internationally in the 1960s. In those days we used our own modest shipping line that could ship a few hundred cars at any given time. But your MX-5 RF will be setting sail on a behemoth specifically designed to hold 5,000 vehicles or more.
Ready to Load
The auto transport wharf at the mouth of the Enko River was built in 1964 to take in up to three 1,500-ton ships at any one time. At first, cars were loaded by crane. A few years later, Mazda was able to use a new type of ship designed for cars to be driven directly on board. This was a first in Japan and it paved the way for international auto shipping as we know it today.
The auto transport wharf at the mouth of the Enko River was built in 1964 to take in up to three 1,500-ton ships at any one time. At first, cars were loaded by crane. A few years later, Mazda was able to use a new type of ship designed for cars to be driven directly on board. This was a first in Japan and it paved the way for international auto shipping as we know it today.
PORTS OF CALL
It takes vehicle carriers about three weeks to get from Hiroshima to North America. MX-5 RF Launch Edition vehicles bound for the western U.S. will arrive in Tacoma, Washington and San Diego, California. Vehicles destined for the east coast will be at sea for another several days as they pass through the Panama Canal on their way to Jacksonville, Florida and Baltimore, Maryland.
30cm Precision
Precision Loading
New Mazdas are loaded quickly and precisely by a skilled team of drivers who rely on flagmen to keep the operation running smoothly. Like the world’s busiest and most particular valet service, our specially trained loading crew positions the cars an incredible 10 centimeters apart side-by-side and about 30 centimeters apart front to back. This configuration allows for maximum capacity and minimizes the chances of cosmetic damage during the long voyage.
