The 400 m-long, 61 m-wide, and 23,000 TEUs-big JACQUES SAADE, named after CMA CGM's founder, has been launched at the Shanghai Jiangnan-Changxing Shipyard.

The vessel is the first in a series of nine French-flagged carriers to run on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and which will become CMA CGM's new flagships.

The 9x23k TEUs fleet will be deployed next year across the company's French Asia Line network that connects Far East Asia with northern Europe.

The vessel will be equipped with a set of IT solutions aimed at making navigation more efficient and safer. Specifically, JACQUES SAADE features a tactical display offering enhanced map views for more dynamic navigation briefings; a path prediction system optimised to display the ship's predicted position in the next three minutes; a smart eye system projecting a bird's-eye view of the ship's surrounding area, coupled with augmented reality screens offering the crew precise information on the ship's rate of rotation, distance from the wharf, and transverse speeds.

The carrier's hardware has been optimised, too. The bulb has been seamlessly integrated into the hull profile and the bow is straight. The propeller and rudder blade have been improved as well, along with the Becker Twisted Fin. A smart system has been installed to manage ventilation for the reefer containers carried in the hold.

"With the launching of the first 23,000-TEU ship powered by Liquified Natural Gas, we demonstrate that energy transition can be effectively successful in our industry if all the players work together. It paves the way to a global shipping approach where economic growth and competitiveness can coexist with sustainability and the fight against climate change," Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO, CMA CGM Group, said.

Photo: CMA CGM