French container shipping company, CMA CGM, has reiterated its commitment to the environment, striving to be a leader in the energy transition of the maritime industry. The group has however unveiled plans to take delivery of about 20 LNG-powered containerships by 2022, including nine 22,000 TEU mega-ships to be added from the next year.
Since 2018, CMA CGM has accepted delivery of its first two LNG-fuelled vessels. CMA CGM said it is committed to the reduction of its carbon footprint and has implemented numerous initiatives to make its fleet more eco-responsible.
In recent years, CMA CGM has introduced many innovations that helped the group achieve a 50 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions per container transported per kilometre between 2005 and 2015. A further 17 per cent reduction was achieved between 2015 and 2018, in line with the group’s 2025 objective of -30 per cent.
The shipping and logistics company is further accelerating its actions in 2019 to protect the environment, apart from numerous digital transformation initiatives it is undertaking. Last month, the shipping major joined the Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA), which aims to enable digital standardisation in the container shipping industry.
In 2019, CMA CGM also became the first shipping company in the world to test biofuel oil on board one of its containerships. In March, the 5,095 TEU CMA CGM White Shark was successfully refuelled with sustainable marine biofuel oil, while calling at Rotterdam Port. The test was described as a “major step in the decarbonisation of ocean freight. With a capacity of more than 2.6 million TEUs, CMA CGM’s fleet comprises more than 650 vessels of which the company owns more than 190.
