CMA CGM ink LOI with Indian shipyard for six new LNG dual-fuel boxships
- Published
by Admin
French shipping giant CMA CGM Group on Wednesday (15 October) said it has signed a letter of intent for six LNG-powered containerships to be built at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), India.
The strategic move makes the Group the first major foreign carrier to commission LNG vessels from an Indian shipyard.
All six vessels will be registered under the Indian flag and will be delivered from 2029 to 2031.
The newbuilds, each with a capacity of 1,700 TEUs, can run on LNG and are ready for low-carbon fuels. The project at Cochin Shipyard will also be run with the technical cooperation of Korean shipbuilder HD Hyundai Heavy Industries.
The Group is actively investing across the Indian maritime value chain, spanning strategic terminals, maritime services, and shipbuilding, while also reflagging vessels under the Indian registry. CMA CGM will reflag four vessels under the Indian registry this year.
Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO of the CMA CGM Group, stated: “I am pleased that CMA CGM is the first international shipping company to order LNG vessels built in India. This milestone reflects the trust we place in India’s industrial and technological capabilities and supports Prime Minister Modi’s ambition to make India a global shipbuilding power.
“India is a strategic country for CMA CGM, where we invest, train, and innovate. Beyond shipbuilding, we are strengthening our partnerships in logistics, maritime training, and sustainable transport to support India’s growth and contribute to the decarbonization of global trade.”
Madhu S Nair, CMD of Cochin Shipyard, stated: “We are pleased that CMA CGM has chosen CSL to be part of this land mark initiative.
“This project is also of great significance to CSL as we are collaborating with the largest shipbuilding group HD KSOE as the major partner, which further reinforces our commitment to bring the best in class solutions through partnerships, to serve clients across the globe.”
Photo credit: CMA CGM
Published: 16 October, 2025
