Feature, Freight News, Logistics, Sea

CMA CGM Notre Dame Kicks Off 10-vessel Order

[ May 28, 2026   //   Gary Burrows ]

CMA CGM has taken delivery of the CMA CGM Notre Dame, a 24,212-TEU liquefied natural gas-powered containership that the French carrier said is the largest vessel operating under the French flag, as the company continues a broader fleet modernization and decarbonization strategy.

The vessel, the first in a planned series of 10 LNG-powered ships to be delivered between 2026 and 2028, began its maiden commercial voyage in Shanghai and is scheduled to arrive in Le Havre in early July for an official naming ceremony.

Measuring 400 meters long and 62 meters wide, the CMA CGM Notre Dame is designed to carry up to 24,212 TEUs and will operate on the carrier’s French Asia Line service linking Asia and Northern Europe. The rotation includes calls at Ningbo, Shanghai, Yantian, Singapore, Le Havre, Rotterdam, Hamburg and Tangier Med over a 102-day voyage cycle.

The vessel is powered by LNG and fitted with an 18,600-cubic-meter fuel tank intended to provide sufficient range for Asia-Europe operations. CMA CGM said the ship also incorporates energy-efficiency technologies including aerodynamic features, smart energy-management systems and optimized reefer container power and ventilation systems. The design reportedly increases carrying capacity by 280 containers without changing the ship’s dimensions.

The Marseille-based carrier said the vessel features a fully digitalized bridge with artificial intelligence-assisted navigation and route optimization systems, including augmented-reality navigation tools, trajectory prediction technology and 360-degree visualization systems intended to improve maneuvering safety during port operations.

CMA CGM said the vessel will operate under the French International, and the broader 10-vessel series will require the recruitment of 135 French seafarers.

The vessel joins a growing number of large LNG-powered containerships entering the global fleet as major carriers seek to reduce emissions ahead of tightening international and regional environmental regulations, including the European Union’s Emissions Trading System and forthcoming International Maritime Organization greenhouse-gas reduction measures.

Tags: CMA CGM