CMA CGM launches world’s largest LNG-powered container ship

The CMA CGM Group has announced the launch of the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered container ship class, with 23,000 TEU, built by the Shanghai Jiangnan-Changxing shipyard.

According to the CMA CGM Group, LNG helps to reduce sulfur oxides and fine particulate emissions by 99%, nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 85%, and carbon dioxide emissions by 20%.

These new ships will enter the group’s fleet in 2020 on the Asia-Northern Europe Line under French Flag (RIF) registration. In addition, the nine new ships will feature state-of-the-art design with four major innovations to assist the captain and crew:
• a tactical display that provides enhanced map views for more dynamic navigation instructions
• a path prediction system optimized to display the ship’s predicted position within the next three minutes
• an intelligent vision system projecting a panoramic view of the ship’s surrounding area and augmented reality screens, providing crew with accurate information about ship’s rotation speed, berth distance, and transverse speeds.

The first ship in this new class of 23,000 TEU LNG-powered containers, the CMA CGM Jacques Saade, will also be equipped with an intelligent system to manage the ventilation of refrigerated containers transported in the hold.

Exceptionally large vessels (400 meters long and 61 meters wide) will be distinguished from the rest of the fleet by a special painting bearing the “LNG POWERED” logo, attesting to the innovation that LNG propulsion represents in ships of this size.

During the launch event, Rodolphe Saadé, President and CEO of the CMA CGM Group, said: “With the launch of the first 23,000 TEU liquefied natural gas ship, we demonstrated that the energy transition can be effectively successful in our industry if everyone works together. It paves the way for a global shipping approach where economic growth and competitiveness can coexist with sustainability and the fight against climate change.”

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