France’s CMA CGM plans to grow its boxship fleet with a series of new sub-panamax container ships that will be fitted with reefer units.
Shipping sources said shipyards in the Far East have been approached for quotes on up to 10 LNG dual-fuelled ships each with a capacity of 4,000 teu.
The sources identified CMA CGM as being behind the enquiries.
“There is a possibility that CMA CGM may not own these newbuildings, but charter them under long-term contracts from shipping companies,” said one shipbuilding source.
One shipyard manager that TradeWinds contacted confirmed that his company had received enquiries for sub-panamax boxships but declined to disclose further details.
Shipyards including CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, Zhoushan Changhong Shipbuilding, Tsuneishi Shipbuipbuilding, and Hyundai Mipo Dockyard are said to be among those that have asked to quote on both conventional marine fuel ships and LNG dual-fuelled vessels.
CMA CGM did not respond to emails seeking confirmation of the deal.
One source said CMA CGM hopes to take delivery in late 2026.
He added that the liner giant is seeking high-spec vessels and estimated that the sub-panamax boxship could cost in the mid-$60m per ship if it is to be powered by conventional marine fuel. If running on LNG, they may cost as much as $80m apiece.
The company has so far inked four newbuilding contracts in 2023 at yards in South Korea and China.
In February, CMA CGM ordered a dozen 13,000-teu container ships at South Korea’s Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries. This was followed by six 15,000-teu boxships at Jiangnan Shipyard.
In April, it commissioned Singapore-listed Yangzijiang to construct 10 vessels of 24,000 teu, and in September, it inked eight ships of 9,200 teu at Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding.
The total value of the four deals is estimated to be more than $6bn.
Clarksons’ Shipping Intelligence Network shows CMA CGM has 100 container ships on order. Large boxships of between 13,000 teu and 24,000 teu make up 50% of the newbuildings, while it has 10 feeder vessels of 2,000 teu, and the rest are vessels of between 5,500 teu and 9,300 teu.
The broker’s database shows 86 of the container ship newbuildings will be dual fuel and run on either LNG or methanol, while four 6,000-teu ships at Qingdao Yangfan Shipbuilding are ammonia-ready.
CMA CGM has also bolstered its fleet by buying secondhand vessels.
Online database VesselsValue shows the liner company acquired six secondhand container vessels this year — three ships of 9,500 teu, two sub-panamaxes and one 6,900 teu.
Alphaliner ranks CMA CGM as the third-largest liner player in the world, with a container vessel capacity of 3.5m teu. It controls 612 vessels, of which 247 are owned and 365 are chartered.
