CMA CGM and TotalEnergies have entered into an agreement to develop a 50/50 logistics joint venture dedicated to the implementation and operation of a LNG bunker supply solution at the port of Rotterdam, in the Netherlands.
This strategic partnership reflects the shared ambition of both French companies to work jointly towards the acceleration of the energy transition in the maritime sector. For what is believed to be the first time, a shipping line will collaborate with an energy provider to co-develop and jointly operate LNG bunkering facilities.
The TotalEnergies-CMA CGM JV will offer a complete logistics service in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) region. As part of this new logistics JV, a new 20,000m3 LNG bunker vessel will be positioned in Rotterdam by the end of 2028 and jointly operated. The CMA CGM-TotalEnergies JV will offer a complete logistics service, from reload access at gate terminal facilities to LNG bunker delivery to a wide range of vessels operating in the ARA region, including those of CMA CGM as well as other shipping operators.
To support CMA CGM’s goal of reaching net zero carbon by 2050 and ensure the supply of its dual-fuel LNG-powered fleet, which will grow to 123 vessels by 2029, the JV will supply CMA CGM with up to 360,000t of LNG annually, from 2028 onwards and until 2040.
Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO, TotalEnergies, said: “We are proud to further contribute, alongside a partner like CMA CGM, to the development of an LNG bunkering supply chain in one of Europe’s leading port hubs. LNG is today the most mature and immediately available solution to reduce the environmental footprint of maritime transport. This strategic partnership not only strengthens our position as a major player in LNG bunkering but also illustrates the shared commitment of two leading French companies to actively support the energy transition.”
Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO, CMA CGM Group, added: “With this joint venture, CMA CGM and TotalEnergies are taking a new step to support the energy transition in shipping. For the first time, a shipping company and an energy provider will jointly operate an LNG bunkering vessel, based in the port of Rotterdam. It is a concrete way to scale up alternative fuels and accelerate the decarbonisation of global trade.”
TotalEnergies and CMA CGM have been long-standing partners committed to advancing low-carbon marine solutions. As a marine fuel, LNG helps cut GHG by up to 20% compared to conventional marine fuel and has the potential to reduce emissions significantly more if bio or synthetic LNG is used (respectively -67% and -85% of GHG emissions). It also significantly improves air quality by reducing NOx emissions by up to 85%, and it almost completely eliminates (by 99%) SOx and fine particles. As such, marine LNG is seen as a sustainable, affordable and immediately available way of reducing emissions in the shipping sector. TotalEnergies has actively invested in LNG bunkering infrastructure, critical to supporting its shipping customers’ adoption of LNG as a marine fuel.
CMA CGM Group’s strategy is based on optimising its fleet and operations, accelerating the use of low-carbon fuels, developing energy-efficient technologies, and promoting modal shift. CMA CGM has made significant investments in next-generation vessels powered by alternative energies such as LNG, biomethane and, for the future, e-methane and green methanol.
CMA CGM and TotalEnergies will jointly supply LNG in Rotterdam (source: CMA CGM)
