CMA CGM is reportedly behind the order for a dozen 15,500 teu newbuildings announced today by Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE).
KSOE would only say a “European customer” had placed the KRW3.68trn ($2.66bn) order expected to be completed by June 2028 at subsidiary yards HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and HD Hyundai Samho.
It is known that CMA CGM had been planning to order a number of ships of close to 16,000 teu and had approached KSOE.
Based on this order’s approximate vessel price, of $221.7m, it appears the average cost of such LNG dual-fuelled containerships has risen from $190m a year ago.
KSOE said: “We look to improve our profitability by targeting orders for high value-added vessels and to develop technologies for eco-ships.”
Although the Red Sea crisis has brought about a temporary surge in freight rates and masks potential oversupply, liner operators are said to be interested in expanding their fleets to meet future demand, and also to comply with decarbonisation requirements.
CMA CGM said at recent conferences there was no one fuel type that could achieve decarbonisation and the carrier would consider all alternative fuels, including LNG, methanol and biofuel, when ordering newbuildings.
Clarksons shows CMA CGM has 84 box ships on order, ranging from 2,200 teu to 24,000. The French carrier’s appetite for newbuildings and secondhand ships has caused Alphaliner to predict that CMA CGM could pass Maersk Line to become the world’s second-largest operator by 2026.
CMA CGM’s current fleet stands at 3.75m teu, behind Maersk’s 4.33m teu. Including the orders announced today, CMA CGM’s orderbook will be for over 1.1m teu, compared with Maersk’s 397,478 teu.