Container shipping giant CMA CGM announced plans on Nov. 7 to outfit nine of its new 22,000 TEU containerships with LNG fueled engine, which is a first for the industry struggling to comply with tougher rules on emissions.
The move to ‘clean fuel’ in the maritime sector has been rapid, spurred by new rules from the International Maritime Organization set to enter force in 2020 which drastically reduces the amount of allowable sulfur in marine fuel. As ship owners mull options, the move by CMA CGM is a watershed moment in the large containership sector.
On the occasion of this important announcement, Rodolphe Saadé, CMA CGM Group CEO, stated: “We have made the bold decision to equip our future 22,000 TEUs vessels with a technology firmly focused on the protection of the environment. 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.”
The announcement from CMA CGM is significant as these will be the largest ships in the sector to support the new technology. CMA CGM currently has 462 vessels calling on 420 ports on five continents, and it said that with LNG its Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) which measures a ship’s environmental footprint is improved by 20% compared to ships only propelled by fuel oil.
The move to LNG as fuel for ships of this size will require more than an investment in ships, also an investment-with port and LNG suppliers-in adapted infrastructure to support the initiative. By choosing LNG, the CMA CGM Group goes beyond current and future regulations that limit the sulphur cap to 0.5% in 2020. The Group is also fully in line with the Paris Agreement and the ongoing discussions at the international level. Between 2005 and 2015, the Group has reduced its CO2 emissions per container transported per kilometer by 50% and has set up an ambitious plan to further reduce its CO2 emissions by 30% between 2015 and 2025.
