CMA CGM looks to set up biomethane production in France
French liner CMA CGM and fellow energy group Engie are advancing their cooperation in renewable gas fuels for shipping with plans to launch biomethane production in France in 2026.
The companies have announced a €150m ($156m) investment scheme to establish a facility at the port of Le Havre fueled by dry biomass from local wood-waste sources, along with solid recovered fuel, to produce 11,000 tonnes of biomethane annually. An investment decision is expected at the end of the year.
The project, dubbed Salamander, is the first step towards the companies’ shared goal of producing up to 200,000 tonnes of renewable gas annually by 2028 for CMA CGM ships and the wider shipping industry.
CMA CGM has been putting money into dual-fuel engine technology, which currently runs on liquified natural gas (LNG) but is also capable of using bioLNG as well as synthetic methane. The Marseille-headquartered firm currently has a fleet of 30 e-methane-ready ships in operation and plans to have more than double that by the end of 2026.
The Marseille-headquartered carrier has also looked to further expand its energy mix by ordering its first ships that will run on methanol, a fuel heavily promoted by its Danish rival, Maersk.
