CMA CGM to register of t10 new 24,000 TEU vessels, the world’s largest LNG-powered ships, under French flag

On the occasion of the 20th edition of the Assises de l’Économie de la Mer, Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO of the CMA CGM Group, announced the entry into the fleet and registration under the French flag (French International Register - RIF) of 10 Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) dual-fuel vessels, each with a remarkable capacity of 24,212 TEU, among the largest and most energy-efficient in the world.

Rodolphe Saadé declared: “CMA CGM has decided to register ten new 24,000 TEU vessels, among the largest in the world, under the French flag starting next year. Powered by liquefied natural gas, they reflect our confidence in France’s maritime sector and its people, with the recruitment of 135 French seafarers and a strengthened partnership with the French Maritime Academy (ENSM).

“These vessels will serve two major French ports, Le Havre and Dunkirk, on the Asia–Northern Europe route, reinforcing our presence in France at a time when the sea plays an increasingly strategic role in global economic and geopolitical dynamics.”

This decision illustrates the Group’s determination to strengthen France’s maritime competitiveness, reaffirming the national flag as a driver of attractiveness, investment, and innovation in the service of France’s maritime ambitions.

The vessels also embody the Group’s leadership in the energy transition of global shipping. These LNG dual-fuel vessels are compatible with biomethane and e-methane, two low-carbon alternative fuels that reduce CO2 emissions by 67% and 85% respectively, while significantly cutting atmospheric pollutants, including sulphur oxides, fine particles, and nitrogen oxides. Thanks to their large capacity, which improves carbon intensity, these vessels concretely illustrate the CMA CGM Group’s commitment to more sustainable and responsible shipping.

The ships will carry French know-how and goods across the world, strengthening France’s ties with global trade. Each will bear the name of an iconic French monument or landmark, symbolising national pride, shared heritage, and the spirit of ambition that drives maritime France.

From their design stage, the construction of these vessels has mobilised a network of European and French suppliers, including GTT for the LNG tanks and Bureau Veritas for certification.

Registration under the French International Register is not merely administrative. It creates genuine operational, human, and economic ties. These ships will enable the Group to recruit at least 135 French seafarers, trained notably at the ENSM, while strengthening CMA CGM’s contribution to the attractiveness of the blue economy sector, generating economic benefits and indirect employment.

Gradually delivered from 2026 onwards, the ten new vessels will be deployed on the Group’s flagship route, the ‘French Asia Line’ (FAL 1), which connects Northern Europe to Asia, with regular calls at Le Havre and Dunkirk.