CMA CGM has ordered 10 container ships from the Chinese state shipyard with a unit capacity of 15,000 TEU. These ships are 366 meter long and will operate on lines between Asia and the Mediterranean. They will be delivered from 2021. The French group relies on less polluting types of propulsion, and therefore half of the ships ordered will be propelled to liquefied natural gas (LNG), which allows a significant reduction of CO2 emissions, sulfur, fine particles and nitrogen oxides. The other 5 ships of this order will be equipped with hybrid scrubbers allowing the elimination of sulfur emissions and fine particles.
The Chairman and CEO of the CMA CGM armament and the Chairman of the China State Ship Building Corporation (CSSC) have signed an agreement aimed at further development of more environmentally friendly vessels.
Moreover, the largest liquefied gas container ship, the “Jacques Saadé”, was inaugurated on the 25th September at the Shanghai shipyards. This ship is 400 meter long and has a capacity of 22’000 TEU. CMA CGM had ordered in November 2001 nine LNG powered container ships
The CMA CGM measurements are to be placed in the context of the stricter limitations of the sulfur content of the fuel. These restrictions have been decreed by the International Maritime Organization. From 2020, the sulfur content will no longer exceed 0.5%, against 3.5% so far.
Source: ITJ
