- CMA CGM has launched world’s largest container ship powered by LNG.
- The 23,000 TEUs French-flagged CMA CGM Jacques Saade was built at Shanghai Jiangnan-Changxing Shipyard in China.
- The vessel paves way to a global shipping approach where economic growth and competitiveness can coexist with sustainability and the fight against climate change.
CMA CGM has launched its 23,000-TEU LNG-powered container ship and unveiled its further energy efficiency features, reports Riviera Maritime Media.
First ever LNG powered ships
Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the CMA CGM Group, announced his decision to order a series of nine 23,000-TEU container ships that would be the world’s first ever to be powered by LNG in 2017.
These new vessels will join the Group’s fleet in 2020 on the French Asia Line (Asia-Northern Europe) and will be registered in the French International Register (RIF), confirming the Group’s commitment to operating under the French flag.
CMA CGM said the nine newbuilds will feature a state-of-the-art bridge design, the world’s first to deliver four major innovations to assist the captain and crew:
- A tactical display offering enhanced map views for more dynamic navigation briefings.
- A path prediction system optimised to display the ship’s predicted position in the next three minutes.
- A smart eye system projecting a bird’s-eye view of the ship’s surrounding area.
- Augmented reality screens offering the crew precise information on the ship’s rate of rotation, distance from the wharf and transverse speeds.
Smart system for ventilation management
The first vessel in this new class of 23,000-TEU LNG-powered container ships, CMA CGM Jacques Saade, will also be equipped with a smart system to manage ventilation for reefer containers carried in the hold.
To further improve the environmental performance of the vessel and its sister ships, their hull forms have been hydrodynamically optimised.
The bulb has been seamlessly integrated into the hull profile and the bow is straight. The propeller and rudder blade have also been improved, along with the Becker twisted fin.
LNG powered logo
The large vessels, 400 m long and 61 m wide, will be distinguished from the rest of the fleet by a special livery displaying an LNG powered logo, attesting to the major worldwide innovation that LNG propulsion represents on ships of this size.
During the launch event, Mr Saadé said “With the launching of the first 23,000-TEU ship powered by liquified natural gas, we demonstrate that energy transition can be effectively successful in our industry if all the players work together.“
“It paves the way to a global shipping approach where economic growth and competitiveness can coexist with sustainability and the fight against climate change,” he added.
Founding father
The Group has symbolically given the name of its Founder to its future flagship.
A visionary entrepreneur, Jacques Saadé built CMA CGM into one of the world’s leading maritime shipping companies, while maintaining its family dimension and strong values.
In this way, he left a lasting mark on the entire shipping industry.
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Source: Maritime Executive, Riviera Maritime Media
