From yards in Asia, new look containerships are emerging from drydocks as the sector ushers in a greener era, spending billions of dollars on a next generation of vessels.
An eye-catching new delivery came out of South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) this week, the 2,000 teu LNG dual-fuel CMA CGM Mermaid (pictured), the first in a series of 10 sisterships. The unique design, which looks similar to a large platform supply vessel, is a collaboration between France’s CMA CGM, compatriot Chantiers de l’Atlantique and HHI, with the owner claiming it slashes CO2 emissions by up to 20%. The 10 feeder ships will work in the Mediterranean and across northern Europe.
(pictured), the first in a series of 10 sisterships. The unique design, which looks similar to a large platform supply vessel, is a collaboration between France’s CMA CGM, compatriot Chantiers de l’Atlantique and HHI, with the owner claiming it slashes CO2 emissions by up to 20%. The 10 feeder ships will work in the Mediterranean and across northern Europe. One of the original characteristics of the design is the ratio of 204.29 m long to 29.6 m wide to improve the ships’ hydrodynamic and aerodynamic performance. They are also the first ships in the CMA CGM fleet with superstructures at the front, which the French owner claims give better aerodynamic performance and higher loading capacity. Another noticeable characteristic of the CMA CGM Mermaid is the almost inverted straight bow with an integrated bow bulb.
The 10th ship in the series – due to deliver at the start of 2025 – will also feature a 1 MW hydrogen fuel cell to ensure it emits zero emissions when berthed.
