The major shipping company CMA CGM and the French energy group TotalEnergies want to jointly expand the LNG refueling infrastructure in Northern Europe.
The two companies have now signed an agreement to establish a 50/50 joint venture (JV) to operate in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) region.
The core of the project is a new LNG bunker vessel with a capacity of 20,000 m³, to be stationed in Rotterdam by the end of 2028. The vessel will be jointly operated and provide end-to-end LNG bunkering services, from supply logistics to the direct delivery of LNG to various vessels in the region. This includes ships from CMA CGM’s dual-fuel fleet, as well as vessels from other shipping lines.
“LNG is today the most mature and readily available solution to reduce the environmental footprint of maritime transportation,” emphasized Patrick Pouyanné, CEO of TotalEnergies.
To supply its growing dual-fuel fleet, CMA CGM will purchase up to 360,000 tons of LNG annually from TotalEnergies from 2028. By 2029, the number of LNG-powered ships at the shipping company aims to grow to 123 units. The JV project is still subject to antitrust approvals.
