CMA CGM sets sights on becoming carbon neutral by 2050

French container shipping major CMA CGM is joining Maersk in committing to an industry goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050.

Speaking at the UN Global Compact on June 2, Rodolphe Saadé, the company’s CEO, announced CMA CGM’s plans of switching 10 % of its energy supply to alternative fuels by 2023 and attaining carbon neutrality by 2050.

Other speakers who participated in the gathering included Deputy UN Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean Peter Thomson, the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization Kitack Lim, and Director General of WWF International Marco Lambertini.

Saadé added that CMA CGM was on track to reduce its CO2 emissions per tonne transported per km by 40% by 2030 when compared to the levels from 2008, a target set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). As explained, the target is being achieved ten years ahead of the industry schedule.

CMA CGM’s CEO pointed out that “in 2019, we reduced our total CO2 emissions by 6%. These significant reductions were made possible thanks to our mobilization, the technological innovations implemented and improved management of vessel operations.”

CMA CGM has already committed to LNG as a marine fuel for its nine colossal 23,000 TEU containerships being built in China and set for launching and start of sequential delivery this year.

The company said that these ships symbolize “the path that we are taking in terms of energy transition using the most advanced eco-friendly technology available today. “

As explained, the ships will reduce greenhouse gas emissions around 20%, and cut almost all sulphur and fine particle emissions.

By 2022, CMA CGM plans to have 20 LNG-powered vessels in its fleet, including the nine 23,000 TEUs,  five 15,000 TEU containerships, as well as six vessels of 1,400 TEUs.