France’s CMA CGM, one of the world’s largest backers of LNG as fuel for vessels, is looking to order more dual-fuel containerships, according to shipbuilding sources.
Sources told LNG Prime that it has not yet been decided whether this new batch of vessels would be equipped with LNG dual-fuel or methanol dual-fuel propulsion.
CMA CGM is interested in booking vessels with a capacity of 15,000 teu, 8,000 teu, and 4,000 teu, the sources said.
The exact number of vessels remains unclear and CMA CGM may be interested in ordering six containerships per each size, while the larger 15,000 teu ships are a priority, the sources said.
Large LNG-powered fleet
Should the orders materialize, these containerships would join the CMA CGM fleet of around 620 vessels, including more than 30 already powered by LNG.
CMA CGM previously said it has already invested more than $17 billion in a fleet of nearly 120 LNG- and methanol-powered ships scheduled for delivery by 2027.
The majority of these vessels are equipped with LNG dual-fuel propulsion.
Last year, LNG Prime was the first to report that CMA CGM had decided to switch an order it placed at China’s SWS for methanol-powered containerships to LNG fuel.
This order worth about $1 billion is for eight vessels with a capacity of 9,200 teu.
Chinese yards
Chinese shipbuilders such as Hudong-Zhonghua and Jiangnan are CMA CGM’s favorite yards for the construction of ultra-large LNG dual-fuel container vessels.
Hudong-Zhonghua and Jiangnan already built nine 23,000 teu LNG dual-fuel containerships for CMA CGM.
In June 2021, CMA CGM welcomed the ninth and the last vessel in this series, Sorbonne, in its fleet.
These 400 meters long and 61 meters wide LNG-powered giants feature WinGD’s dual-fuel engines and GTT’s 18,600 cbm fuel tank.
CMA CGM ordered more of these LNG-powered giants at Hudong-Zhonghua last year, and also ten 24,000 teu LNG dual-fuel vessels at Yangzijiang.
Currently, Hudong-Zhonghua and Jiangnan are each constructing six LNG-powered ships for CMA CGM as part of a deal revealed in April 2021.
The six vessels at Hudong-Zhonghua have a capacity of 13,000 teu and the six vessels at Jiangnan have a capacity of 15,000 teu.
Jiangnan recently delivered the second of six vessels in this batch of 15,000 teu vessels, CMA CGM Cape Cod.
These vessels are each worth about $150 million.