French shipping giant CMA CGM has taken delivery of the first ship in a series of 10 new 2,000-teu containerships powered by LNG from South Korea’s HD Hyundai Mipo.
The firm said in a statement on Thursday that CMA CGM Mermaid will embark on its voyage to Northern Europe from Busan in South Korea.
Also, CMA CGM Mermaid and its sister vessels will be progressively deployed in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.
Back in November 2021, CMA CGM ordered these 10 LNG-powered feeders for about $627 million or some $62.7 million per vessel.
CMA CGM said the new generation of containerships were designed in close collaboration with France’s Chantiers de l’Atlantique, while the Danish engineering firm Odense Marine Technique (OMT) further converted the concept into an industrial prototype.
French LNG giant GTT worked closely on the project for the design and conception of the gas chain and storage tank with total capacity of 1,053 cbm. LNG powers a 12-megawatt MAN dual-fuel engine.
Huge fleet
Delivered progressively between February 2024 and January 2025, the 10 new vessels will transport goods over short distances, mainly in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean.
Between April and July, six of the series will join the Intra-Northern-Europe line to serve the Baltic and Scandinavian ports from the hubs of Hamburg and Bremerhaven.
In addition, four other ships will join the Intra-Mediterranean line between the end of September and the end of November, according to CMA CGM.
Capable of carrying 45’ containers which can be loaded on trailers, these ships offer a “more energy-efficient alternative to road transport in Europe and the Mediterranean region,” it said.
These new containerships will join the CMA CGM fleet of around 620 vessels, including more than 30 already powered by LNG.
CMA CGM claims these ships will emit up to 20 percent less CO2 compared to a similar-sized ship with a conventional maritime fuel design (very low sulfur oil).
This delivery is part of CMA CGM’s fleet renewal program, in which the group has invested more than $15 billion.
By 2028, nearly 120 CMA CGM ships will be powered by “low-carbon energies”, mainly LNG.