Cochin Shipyard bags order for six LNG container ships from European major

CMA CGM Group, a France-based planetary proscription and logistics company, has signed a missive of intent for six LNG-powered instrumentality ships to beryllium built astatine Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL). With the order, CMA CGM has go the archetypal large overseas bearer to committee LNG vessels from an Indian shipyard. All six vessels volition beryllium registered nether the Indian flag, the CSL said. The worth of the bid is reportedly supra ₹2,000 crore.

“The vessels, each with a capableness of 1,700 TEUs (Twenty ft Equivalent Units), tin tally connected LNG and are acceptable for low-carbon fuels, importantly reducing greenhouse state emissions, aligning with the group’s ambition to beryllium Net Zero Carbon by 2050. The task astatine Cochin Shipyard volition besides beryllium tally with the method practice of Korean shipbuilder HD KSOE. The vessels volition beryllium delivered from 2029 to 2031, successful enactment with the group’s fleet renewal and vigor modulation strategy,” the CSL said successful a release. CMA CGM, world’s 3rd largest shipping company, serves much than 420 ports crossed 5 continents with a fleet of implicit 650 vessels.

Terming the orders a milestone, Rodolphe Saadé, president and CEO of the CMA CGM Group, said, “India is simply a strategical state for CMA CGM, wherever we invest, train, and innovate. Beyond shipbuilding, we are strengthening our partnerships successful logistics, maritime training, and sustainable transport to enactment India’s maturation and lend to the decarbonisation of planetary trade.”

Madhu S. Nair, CMD, Cochin Shipyard, said the task is of large value to CSL arsenic the shipyard is collaborating with HD KSOE, the largest shipbuilding group, arsenic the large partner.

Recruiting seafarers

The CMA CGM is actively investing crossed the Indian maritime worth chain, spanning strategical terminals, maritime services, and shipbuilding, portion besides reflagging vessels nether the Indian registry. At the aforesaid time, it is enhancing section maritime employment done expanded crewing and manning operations successful India. CMA CGM volition reflag 4 vessels nether the Indian registry successful 2025 and aims to enlistee 1,000 Indian seafarers by the extremity of the year. In 2026, CMA CGM plans to prosecute an further 500 Indian seafarers.

With a 34-year beingness successful the state and a workforce of astir 17,000 employees, CMA CGM plays an indispensable relation successful connecting India to planetary markets done 19 play maritime services.