CMA CGM opts for LNG to power world's biggest containerships

The following is the text of a news release from CMA CGM Group:

(BONN, Germany) — On the occasion of the COP23 in Bonn, the CMA CGM Group has announced its decision to equip its nine future ships of 22,000 TEUs, delivered in 2020, with engines using liquefied natural gas (LNG).

CMA CGM is the first shipping company in the world to equip giant containerships with this type of motorization, thus pursuing its firm commitment to the protection of the environment and to ocean conservation.

The use of LNG is a real technological breakthrough that will yield significant benefits compared to heavy fuel oil:

• Up to 25 percent less CO2
• 99 percent less sulfur emissions
• 99 percent less fine particles
• 85 percent less nitrogen oxide emissions

Moreover, the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), which measures a ship’s environmental footprint, is improved by 20 percent compared to ships only propelled by fuel oil. These containerships will be LNG-powered – a small percentage of marine gas oil will only be used for the ignition in the combustion chamber.

By choosing LNG, the CMA CGM Group goes beyond current and future regulations that limit the sulfur cap to 0.5 percent in 2020. The group is also fully in line with the Paris Agreement and the ongoing discussions at the international level.

The CMA CGM Group is firmly committed to the reduction of its carbon footprint for the protection of the environment and the preservation of the oceans and biodiversity. Between 2005 and 2015, the group has reduced its CO2 emissions per container transported per kilometer by 50 percent and has set up an ambitious plan to further reduce its CO2 emissions by 30 percent between 2015 and 2025.

“We have made the bold decision to equip our future 22,000-TEU vessels with a technology firmly focused on the protection of the environment," said Rodolphe Saade, CMA CGM Group CEO. "By choosing LNG, CMA CGM confirms its ambition to be a leading force in the industry in environmental protection by being a pioneer in innovative and eco-responsible technologies.”

By Professional Mariner Staff