New LNG-powered containership joins CMA CGM’s fleet

The 13,000-teu LNG-powered containership, CMA CGM Sao Paolo, has joined CMA CGM’s large fleet of LNG-fueled vessels.

China’s Hudong-Zhonghua said in a statement it has handed over the LNG-powered containership to the French shipping giant on May 23.

This vessel named after Brazil’s largest city recently completed its “two-in-one” trial in just 6.5 days.

CMA CGM Sao Paolo is the fourth of six 13,000-teu LNG-powered containerships Hudong-Zhonghua built for CMA CGM.

Image: Hudong-Zhonghua

In December last year, Hudong-Zhonghua delivered the first vessel in this batch, CMA CGM Bahia, and it handed over the second vessel, CMA CGM Buzios, earlier this year, and CMA CGM Paraty in April.

Hudong-Zhonghua plans to deliver the remaining ships later this year, and all of the six vessels will work on the South American route.

The shipbuilder and Jiangnan Shipyard are each building six LNG-powered ships for CMA CGM as part of a deal revealed in April 2021, but the six vessels at Jiangnan have a capacity of 15,000 units.

Also, the new LNG-powered vessels feature GTT’s Mark III containment system and WinGD’s dual-fuel propulsion.

The vessel’s LNG tanks have a capacity of 14,000 cbm.