CMA CGM on Track with Growth as it Puts 400th Owned Ship in Service
French carrier CMA CGM highlights that it will be putting its 400th owned ship (in a fleet of over 650 vessels) into service as it continues its growth strategy. The company highlighted its status as the first vessel in a new series of methanol dual-fuel vessels, and as it continues on track to surpass Maersk as the second-largest global container carrier.
CMA CGM reports that its operations serve more than 420 ports across five continents, and in 2024, it transported more than 23 million TEU. The fleet, which Alphaliner calculates at 712 containerships, is continuing to grow, with analysts last year highlighting the path to surpass Maersk’s capacity.
Currently, the French carrier is only about 11.5 percent in capacity behind Maersk. It has a total capacity of 4,155,811 TEU, based on Alphaliners’ league tables. Maersk is currently at 4,629,755 TEU. The French carrier, however, has a strong order book with 147 vessels, according to Alphaliner, which represents an additional capacity of 1,870,454 TEU, compared to Maersk’s 79 vessels with an additional capacity of 1,033,434 TEU.
Maersk has declared its strategy calls for maintaining its current capacity for its ocean-going operations. The two carriers, however, remain far behind industry leader MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, which, based on Alphaliners’ data, now has 976 vessels with a total capacity of 7,154,803 TEU, and with another 2.1 million TEU capacity on order.
CMA CGM highlights its new vessel, CMA CGM Monte Cristo, built at DSIC Tianjin Shipyard, China, as its 400th owned vessel. The vessel’s naming ceremony took place on January 21, and it is scheduled to enter service on January 29. It will be operating between North Asia, the Levant region of the Mediterranean, and the Adriatic Sea.
“This key milestone reflects the Group’s long-term investment strategy, built on asset ownership and the integration of advanced technologies to enhance the environmental and operational performance of its fleet,” says CMA CGM.
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The ship is the first in a series of six methanol-fueled containerships. It is reported to have a maximum capacity of 16,204 TEU, including around 1,000 reefer plugs. The 156,100-dwt ship is registered in Malta and measures 366 meters (1,200 feet) and will operate with a crew of 23.
The company highlights that it is the 11th ship in its fleet capable of operating on methanol as its primary fuel. CMA CGM is nearing the halfway mark with a total of 24 methanol-fueled vessels currently on order. The group says by 2031, it will be operating around 200 dual-fuel LNG and methanol-fueled containerships as part of its strategy to be powered with low-carbon energy.