CMA CGM Secures Chinese Newbuild Contract for Containerships

French shipping powerhouse CMA CGM has committed to a fresh series of containership newbuilds in China.

Widely speculated to be the owner behind the order, the company is set to acquire a dozen LNG dual-fuel vessels with an 18,000 teu capacity, constructed at CSSC Jiangnan Shipyard.

This deal follows shortly after the United States Trade Representative (USTR) proposed levying charges of up to $1.5 million per visit on Chinese-built ships entering US ports.

Valued between $2.5 billion and $2.6 billion, the contract stipulates deliveries in 2028 and 2029.

This marks CMA CGM’s second large containership order this year, following a separate $2.6 billion agreement for another set of twelve 18,000 teu LNG dual-fuel vessels being built at Korean shipyard HD Hyundai Heavy Industries.

Under the leadership of Rodolphe Saadé, the company—narrowly trailing Maersk among the world’s top liner operators—previously pioneered the construction of the first 23,000 teu LNG-powered vessels at Jiangnan and has additional orders scheduled for delivery in 2025 and 2026.