CMA CGM Mermaid: First among 10 ships with better energy performance

The CMA CGM Group has taken delivery of CMA CGM Mermaid, the first ship in a series of 10 new 2,000 TEU container ships powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), which will be progressively deployed in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.

The new container ships, with an original design aimed at improving their energy efficiency and environmental performance, will join the CMA CGM fleet of around 620 vessels, including more than 30 already powered by alternative energies, says an official release. "These ships will emit up to 20 percent less CO2 compared to a similar-sized ship with a conventional maritime fuel design (very low sulphur oil)."

The delivery is part of CMA CGM's fleet renewal programme in which the Group has invested more than $15 billion, the release added. "It brings the Group one step closer to meeting its objective of Net Zero Carbon by 2050. By 2028, nearly 120 ships will be powered by low-carbon energies."

These ships, with a different line and architecture from conventional container ships, were designed in close collaboration with Chantiers de l'Atlantique, a French company located in Saint-Nazaire and globally recognized for its ship design and construction expertise. The Danish engineering firm Odense Marine Technique converted the concept into an industrial prototype, the release added.

The CMA CGM Mermaid will embark on its voyage to Northern Europe from Busan in South Korea.