FRENCH shipping line CMA CGM says it is taking steps to stay at the forefront of green shipping.

The company, which owns the Australian business ANL, cited a decision by CSR ratings agency Ecovadis’ to award CMA CGM Group its Gold Recognition Level for the fourth consecutive year.

Ecovadis also ranked CMA CGM as part of the top 1% most responsible companies in its sector and top 5% across all sectors.

The company is pushing towards a goal of 30% reduction of CO2 per TEU by 2025.

In 2017, the CMA CGM reported reducing CO2 emissions per container transported per kilometre by 10% and says it is implementing several actions to achieve this objective.

These include a decision to equip nine future 22,000TEU ships with LNG-powered engines.

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CMA CGM is also adopting technological innovations for its fleet to reduce its carbon footprint, such as electronic injection engines, which cut fuel consumption by a reported average of 3% and Becker twisted fins which are said to result in a 4% reduction in CO2 emissions.

The company is set to update the market on its emissions reductions for 2018 during its upcoming corporate social responsibility report, which should be published later this year.

The use of LNG
By choosing LNG, the CMA CGM Group says it is going beyond current and future regulations.

“LNG is indeed a real technological breakthrough that will yield significant benefits compared to heavy fuel oil, reducing CO2 emissions up to 25%,” the company said in a statement.

“The choice of LNG is thus an integral part of the CMA CGM Group’s strategy to reduce its carbon footprint and, more broadly, to act as an industry leader in the protection of the environment and the energy transition.”

CMA CGM says it is on the way to overcoming a lack of global LNG bunkering sites, saying its decision to power its future 22,000 TEU containerships with LNG paved the way for the development of LNG as a marine fuel.

“The group is now actively collaborating with ports and LNG suppliers to build a new supply chain that will be efficient for ports and our customers while ensuring optimal safety,” the company said in a statement.

In December 2017, CMA CGM signed an agreement with Total S.A. oil and gas company covering the supply of around 300,000 tonnes of liquefied natural gas a year for 10 years starting in 2020.

A LNG bunkering barge is to be chartered by Total for this contract.

Sulphur reduction
Ahead of the new International Maritime Organization Sulphur regulations (which come into effect on 1 January), shipping lines are having to move fast to comply.

CMA CGM says it has decided:

  • To favour the use of 0.5% low sulphur fuel oil for its fleet; and
  • To invest significantly by:
    1. Using LNG to power some of its future container ships, resulting in a 99% reduction in sulphur emissions; and
    2. Investing in hybrid technology scrubbers to retrofit part of its fleet.