CMA CGM, Total Partner Up on Lower Emission Marine Fuel

French container shipping major CMA CGM and compatriot company Total have signed a three-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) under which the energy producer and provider will supply lower emission fuels, which are in accordance with new environmental regulations in the shipping industry.

Under the MOU, the duo intends to prepare for stricter fuel regulations in the shipping industry and further reduce the sector’s footprint by developing solutions that make container ships ever more environmentally-friendly, according to CMA CGM.

Total will become CMA CGM’s multifuel supplier, providing fuel oil with a sulfur content of 0.5%, fuel oil with a sulfur content of 3.5% for ships equipped with exhaust gas cleaning systems which reduce the polluting emissions before they are released into the atmosphere, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) which offers advantages such as the reduction of CO2 emissions, the elimination of sulfur oxide (SOx) emissions, decrease of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matters.

“With the signature of this MOU, CMA CGM is continuing the sustainable development process begun several years ago. The solutions offered by Total will enable us to further minimize the environmental impact of the group’s activities and is a next step in building a more environmentally conscious shipping industry,” Rodolphe Saadé, Vice Chairman of CMA CGM, said.

“The new regulations require both marine fuel suppliers and shipping industry stakeholders to adapt quickly. That is why we are working hand in hand with CMA CGM, a long-standing partner,” Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Total, said.

Total’s specialized affiliate Total Marine Fuels will be renamed Total Marine Fuels Global Solutions on February 1, 2017.