CMA CGM trials biofuel in Singapore

The 10,640 teu APL Paris was the first of the Group’s vessels to be bunkered with biofuel on 23 February. Ship-to-ship bunkering was conducted alongside during container loading and discharging operations before the vessel sailed on the Asia-South America rotation of the Pacific East Coast 2 service.

The six-month global trial will involve up to 32 containerships running on different blends of biofuel to measure CO₂ and NOx emissions to obtain a trend analysis, which will be shared with the respective flag administrations, including MPA. Some of these vessels will be fuelled in Singapore with B24 biofuel, which comprises 24% used cooking oil methyl ester (UCOME). B24 can reduce carbon emissions by 21%.

Ranging from ship sizes between 2,200 and 10,640 TEUs, these vessels on trial will serve several trade lanes including Asia-South America, Asia-Africa, Asia-Oceania, Asia-Mediterranean, North Europe–Oceania and North Europe-North America.

The Group has chosen to invest in dual-fuel vessels that run on LNG, avoiding up to 99% of atmospheric pollutant emissions, and the engine installed on these vessels is capable of using BioLNG (reducing 67% in CO₂ emissions). In the coming years, the engines will use synthetic methane (including e-methane). The CMA CGM Group already has a fleet of 25 e-methane ready vessels in service and will have a total of 44 such vessels by the end of 2024.

Biofuel, together with alternative fuels such as LNG and biomethane among others, will make up 10% of the CMA CGM Group’s energy mix by 2023.

The CMA CGM Group aims to be net zero by 2050.