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CMA CGM and ENGIE to co-invest in second-generation biomethane production project

Both will co-invest in the Salamander project which is aimed to produce 11,000 mt of biomethane annually, starting in 2026, according to the firms.

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CMA CGM

The CMA CGM Group, a global player in sea, land, air and logistics solutions, and ENGIE, a global leader in low-carbon energy and services, on Friday (1 July) announced plans to co-invest in the Salamander project – the first industrial and commercial unit for second-generation biomethane production.

The project will also support both groups’ target to produce up to 200,000 metric tonnes (mt) of renewable gas annually worldwide by 2028, to meet the needs of CMA CGM and the shipping industry.

Majority-owned by ENGIE and the CMA CGM Group, the site is being considered to be located in Le Havre, France; the project is backed by the support of the Havre Seine Métropole urban community via the investment programme “Le Havre, Ville portuaire intelligente” (Le Havre, a smart port city). 

The unit will be fuelled by dry biomass from local wood-waste sources, along with solid recovered fuel, and will produce the biomethane via pyrogasification. 

The site will aim to produce 11,000 mt of biomethane annually, starting in 2026. 

The two groups plan to finalise their investment decision in late 2022. A funding request has been submitted to the European Commission’s Innovation Fund. By developing the renewable gas industry and the Salamander project, both CMA CGM and ENGIE will help achieve the energy independence and energy transition goals set forth by the European Commission in the RepowerEU plan.

An objective up to 200,000 tons of renewable gas annually worldwide by 2028

The CMA CGM Group and ENGIE have taken this opportunity to state their intention to increase annual production of renewable gas in Europe and worldwide to 200,000 mt by 2028, both to meet CMA CGM’s needs and those of the shipping industry. The Salamander project will help reach that target. 

The CMA CGM Group, which aims to achieve net-zero carbon by 2050, already has a fleet of 30 dual-fuel “e-methane ready” ships in operation – a figure that will rise to 77 by the end of 2026.

The dual-fuel engine technology developed by CMA CGM, which currently runs on LNG, is already capable of using bioLNG, as well as synthetic methane. This fuel reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 67% compared with Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO) from well to wake (the complete value chain). Against this backdrop, CMA CGM and ENGIE are pledging their commitment to promoting the development of the renewable gas sector at an industrial scale. 

Salamander: local renewable energy and a concrete commitment to the Le Havre region

Salamander is the culmination of both groups’ desire to promote production and distribution sectors for renewable gas in Europe – particularly in France. It is the application on an industrial scale of 10 years of research and development conducted by ENGIE1 within the framework of the GAYA project, which has demonstrated the technical, economic and environmental viability of producing renewable gas.

The Salamander project also reflects CMA CGM’s close-knit connection with the Le Havre region, where the site is being considered. CMA CGM is the largest local maritime company in terms of market share, operating in the region since 1994. 

Two French groups committed to the Coalition for the Energy of the Future to support sustainable mobility

CMA CGM and ENGIE have also been working together for several months within the Coalition for the Energy of the Future, launched at the end of 2019 during the “Assises de l’Economie de la Mer” by Rodolphe Saadé and supported by President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron. The two companies continue to work within the Coalition to ramp up the development of the energies and technologies of the future, to support new models of sustainable mobility and reduce the climate impact of transport and logistics.

Christine Cabau Woehrel, Executive Vice President Assets and Operations at CMA CGM, said: “To reach our target of net-zero carbon by 2050, the CMA CGM Group is seeking to form solid industrial partnerships, led by this initiative with ENGIE that aims to produce up to 200,000 tons of renewable gas annually by 2028. Salamander is the first industrial ramp-up to emerge from the partnership, an advanced pilot helping to develop the renewable gas sector, in keeping with the goals of energy independence and the energy transition set forth by the European Commission in the RepowerEU plan.”

Edouard Sauvage, Executive Vice President Infrastructure at ENGIE, said: “ENGIE is innovating with a new local production method for second-generation biomethane using wood waste, underpinned by an energy production technology involving pyrogasification. The scale of the project reflects our ambitions and accelerated development in renewable gas production. It demonstrates our ability to support leading companies in their transition to net zero. We are delighted and proud to be carrying out this initiative in partnership with CMA CGM, moving forward together in this important milestone in our efforts to promote the energies of the future”.

 

Photo credit: CMA CGM
Published: 4 July, 2022

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Environment

IMO Secretary-General: Net-Zero Framework sends clear demand signal to bunker fuel producers

New regulations will require investment for decarbonisation to take place, states Arsenio Dominguez.

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Shipping gears up for massive investments in decarbonization 2 medium

The global shipping industry is preparing for a net-zero transformation that will have a sector-wide impact on everything from supply chains and business models, to ships, ports and the maritime workforce, said IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez.

IMO approved new regulations for net-zero marine fuels and emissions in April, set for adoption in October. Calls for investments in decarbonisation are getting louder.

“Regulations alone cannot do the job. We need technological development and we need alternative fuels… And that can only happen in one way – with investment,” he said, speaking at the Blue Economy Finance Forum in Monaco (8 June).

This includes investing in scaling up production of alternative bunker fuels in large enough quantities to replace the 350 million tonnes of fuel oil currently burned by ships each year.

Upgrading port infrastructure and bunker operations will also be required to safely provide clean energy for ships when they call at ports around the world.

“The liner industry has already invested USD 150 billion in decarbonisation. It is unprecedented for the transport sector,” said President of the World Shipping Council, Joe Kramek. “But we need the fuel supply… it’s a tremendous investment opportunity.”

The new set of regulations, known as the “IMO Net-Zero Framework”, takes a two- pronged approach: a global fuel standard that limits the greenhouse gas (GHG) fuel intensity of marine fuels, and a price placed on the GHG emissions from ships.

The regulations send a clear demand signal to fuel producers, while rewarding ‘first movers’ – shipping companies who take the risk to adopt low- and zero-emission solutions early, and who are then able to share their experiences and expertise with others.

The IMO Net-Zero Framework works alongside earlier measures adopted by IMO to enhance energy-efficient ship design, operational improvements and carbon intensity ratings. They will be reviewed every five years, with emission limits tightened over time.

Related: IMO MPEC 83 approves net-zero regulations for global shipping

 

Photo credit: International Maritime Organization
Published: 17 June 2025

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Newbuilding

NYK Group’s first methanol-fuelled bulk carrier “Green Future” delivered

Vessel is the first bulk carrier in the NYK Group to be equipped with a dual-fuel engine that uses methanol and fuel oil.

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Green Future MT

NYK Group on 13 May received delivery of Green Future, the company’s first methanol dual-fuel bulk carrier, at the TSUNEISHI Factory of TSUNEISHI SHIPBUILDING Co., Ltd. where a naming and delivery ceremony was also held, it said on Thursday (14 June).

The vessel will be chartered by NYK Bulk & Projects Carriers Ltd., an NYK Group company, from KAMBARA KISEN Co., Ltd.

It is the first bulk carrier in the NYK Group to be equipped with a dual-fuel engine that uses methanol and fuel oil.

“Methanol has a lower environmental impact than fuel oil, and by using bio-methanol and e-methanol produced using hydrogen derived from renewable energy sources and recovered carbon dioxide, the vessel achieves significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions,” it said.

Vessel Particulars
LOA: 199.99 m
Breadth: 32.25 m
Depth: 19.15 m
Deadweight: approx. 65,700 metric tons
Capacity: approx. 81,500 m3
Draft: 13.8 m

Related: Tsuneishi delivers world’s first methanol dual-fuel Ultramax bulker to NYK
Related: Japan: NYK to time-charter its first methanol-fuelled bulk carrier

 

Photo credit: NYK Group
Published: 17 June 2025

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Ammonia

Yara Clean Ammonia voices support for ammonia bunkering pilot

Pilot has generated crucial real-world data and best practices for future ammonia bunkering operations globally.

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Yara ammonia STS operation

Yara Clean Ammonia (YCA), the world’s largest trader and distributor of ammonia, on Friday (13 June) announced its key role in a landmark maritime decarbonisation initiative led by the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD).

The successful completion of the first-ever ship-to-ship transfer (STS) of ammonia at anchorage in Western Australia marks a major milestone in paving the way for ammonia as a viable marine fuel, it said.

Under the supervision of the Pilbara Port Authority (PPA), the pilot took place within the anchorage area of Port Dampier, simulating real-world bunkering conditions and demonstrating that ammonia transfer can be executed safely and effectively offshore.

According to YCA, the trial builds on the insights from GCMD’s prior safety study in Singapore and confirms that, with the right controls in place, ammonia STS transfers at anchorage are both safe and scalable.

The pilot has also generated crucial real-world data and best practices for future ammonia bunkering operations globally.

“This successful trial is a pivotal step towards building trust in ammonia as a zero-to-near-zero emission (ZNZ) maritime fuel,” said Murali Srinivasan SVP Commercial in Yara Clean Ammonia.

“It’s the result of world-class collaboration and careful planning—and it shows that with the right safeguards, ammonia bunkering is not only feasible but practical.”

 

Photo credit: Yara Clean Ammonia
Published: 17 June 2025

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