The CMA CGM NOTRE DAME, the largest containership currently sailing under the French flag and powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), made its maiden call at Yangshan Port in Shanghai on May 22.
With this vessel, CMA CGM continues the modernization of its fleet and reaffirms its commitment to increasingly reliable, efficient and environmentally responsible maritime transport, serving global trade and supply chains. With 400 meters long, 62 meters wide, and 75 meters high, the CMA CGM NOTRE DAME is designed to carry up to 24,212 containers (TEU).
Deployed on the French Asia Line (FAL), the Group’s strategic service connecting Asia and Europe, the vessel will operate on a rotation of approximately 102 days, calling at ports including Ningbo, Shanghai, Yantian, Singapore, Le Havre, Rotterdam, Hamburg and Tanger Med. This route is one of the world’s main trade corridors and plays a vital role in supplying European economies.
A strategic choice for CMA CGM
The CMA CGM NOTRE DAME is registered under the French International Register (RIF), like the entire series. This strategic decision, announced in November 2025 by Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the CMA CGM Group, is accompanied by the recruitment of 135 French seafarers trained to operate these ten vessels.
A new generation of more efficient and lower-emission vessels
The CMA CGM NOTRE DAME embodies a new generation of LNG-powered container ships combining scale, operational performance and energy efficiency, fully aligned with the Group’s ambition to achieve Net Zero Carbon by 2050.
Beyond its LNG propulsion system, the vessel incorporates equipment designed to reduce its environmental footprint throughout operations, including an aerodynamic windshield system that lowers energy consumption and an 18,600 m³ LNG tank providing autonomy on Asia-Europe routes. It also features intelligent energy-management solutions, particularly for powering and ventilating refrigerated containers, with capacity for 1,600 reefer plugs.
Its architecture has also been optimized to increase carrying capacity by 580 additional containers, without increasing the vessel’s overall dimensions.
A digitalized bridge and next-generation navigation tools
The CMA CGM NOTRE DAME integrates a full range of advanced technologies and artificial intelligence solutions to support operational excellence. Its fully digitalized bridge provides crews with real-time navigation tools enhanced by augmented reality systems. Advanced trajectory prediction and 360-degree visualization systems further strengthen maneuvering safety, particularly during port operations.
Embedded artificial intelligence helps optimize routes, adjust speed and manage the vessel’s energy consumption. These systems are supported by CMA CGM’s Fleet Centers in Marseille, Miami and Singapore, which continuously monitor the Group’s global fleet and support crews in operational decision-making.
A highly qualified crew at the heart of operations
The CMA CGM NOTRE DAME is operated by a crew of approximately 25 highly specialized seafarers under the command of Master Nicolas Le Scornet.
Designed for long-haul rotations, the vessel offers living conditions tailored to everyday life at sea, with modern personal spaces, high-performance permanent connectivity and facilities dedicated to crew comfort. Every crew member contributes directly to the vessel’s safety, navigation quality and operational continuity, in an environment where technical excellence goes hand in hand with strong team spirit.
A series of 10 vessels showcasing French excellence worldwide
The CMA CGM NOTRE DAME is the first in a series of 10 vessels named after iconic landmarks of French heritage. They will be delivered between 2026 and 2028 and progressively deployed on the world’s major shipping routes.
CMA CGM in China, a historic presence
Present in China for more than 33 years, the Group confirms its long-term commitment through an extensive operational footprint combining shipping, logistics, air cargo, terminals and decarbonization initiatives. Starting from a single office in Shanghai in 1992, CMA CGM has become one of the leading shipping and logistics players in China, with around 18,000 employees, more than 90 maritime services, and over 290 weekly calls.
From a maritime perspective, CMA CGM continues to strengthen its service offering through the Ocean Alliance “DAY 10 Product”, providing optimized connectivity between China and major global markets, including services linking Asia with Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, North America and the Persian Gulf. Through CNC, the Group is also reinforcing its intra-Asia shortsea network to support the rapid growth of Indo-Pacific trade flows.
In parallel, the Group continues to strengthen its long-term partnerships with Chinese industrial and port stakeholders to accelerate shipping and logistics decarbonization. In March 2026, CMA CGM and SIPG Energy successfully completed the Group’s first-ever biomethanol bunkering operation worldwide for the CMA CGM OSMIUM at Yangshan Port in Shanghai, involving 3,643 tons of biomethanol — the largest single biomethanol bunkering operation ever completed at a Chinese port.
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