CMA CGM orders seven new biogas-powered ships
There will be three new 7,900 TEU ships and four 7,300 TEU ships which are expected to protect air quality and cuts CO2 emissions by 67% through the use of biogas as fuel.
The CMA CGM Group is committed to the energy transition and has set itself the target of becoming Net Zero Carbon by 2050. Biogas produced from biomass reduces CO2 emissions by 67% compared with conventional fuel and cuts SOx emissions by 99%, fine particle emissions by 91% and NOx emissions by 92%.
The dual fuel gas engine technology used by CMA CGM is able to use biogas as well as synthetic methane. CMA CGM already has 31 e-methane ready container ships in its fleet fitted with dual-fuel engines. It will have 77 of these vessels by 2026.
Delivered gradually as of 2024, the seven new container ships, each with 1,385 Reefer plugs, will serve Guadeloupe and Martinique, significantly increasing services to the two islands. They will replace smaller ships dedicated to routes between the French West Indies, France and Europe.
In order to cope with these larger capacity vessels, the CMA CGM Group will help to modernise and increase the capacity of the biggest shipping ports in Guadeloupe and Martinique, as well as making wharfs larger. Fort de France and Pointe à Pitre, central hubs of the Caribbean and South America, will be the starting point for transshipments to Guyana, Saint Martin, Saint Barthélemy and northeast Brazil.
The CMA CGM Group plays a key role in the development of the two islands and has always acted as a link between the French West Indies, France and the rest of the world through its activities. CMA CGM transports 100% of bananas from the French West Indies to France. It operates dedicated shipping lines to Guadeloupe and Martinique and is involved in structural actions to help boost the local economy.
