One of the world’s largest containerlines has taken another step in pursuing LNG as a key fuel of the future for its fleet.
CMA CGM and maritime LNG specialists ENGIE have signed a memorandum of understanding to promote LNG for tomorrow’s container vessels.
Farid Salem, Executive Officer of the CMA CGM Group, and Isabelle Kocher, CEO of ENGIE, signed the agreement today at the Marseille headquarters of CMA CGM.
The agreement focuses on a joint CMA CGM and ENGIE technical and economic study on LNG as a fuel for tomorrow’s container ships as well as a study about the development of engineering specifications for a bunkering vessel adapted to LNG powered container ships, so as to improve over time the logistics chain necessary to fuelling this type of vessels, thus promoting their deployment.
Kocher declared today: “Ultimately, LNG as marine fuel could lead to a massive reduction in pollutant emissions.”
Meanwhile, CMA CGM’s Salem said: “Liquefied natural gas has many environmental advantages. It is undoubtedly the fuel of the future of the maritime shipping industry that will progressively substitute heavy fuel oil over the next few decades. CMA CGM wishes to be a pioneer in this area. And with the agreement with ENGIE this allows the company to move one step closer.”
ENGIE manages a large LNG supply portfolio and has a significant presence in regasification terminals in Europe and worldwide. In 2014, the group initiated a partnership with Mitsubishi Corporation and NYK in LNG marine fuel development and ordered the first purpose-built LNG bunkering vessel in the market. Delivery to their first customer is expected in early 2017 at Zeebrugge, Belgium. Last September the three groups launched a joint new brand, Gas4Sea, offering ship-to-ship supply of LNG for the maritime sector.
