French shipping giant CMA CGM has officially christened CMA CGM Notre Dame, the largest containership ever registered under the French flag. The ceremony took place in Le Havre, marking the debut of the first vessel in a series of ten LNG-powered mega containerships that will all sail under the French registry by 2028.
Built in China by Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, the new vessel measures 399 metres in length, 61.3 metres in beam, and has a carrying capacity of 24,000 TEU, making it one of the world’s largest container ships.
Powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the vessel is equipped with AI-assisted voyage optimisation systems designed to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. According to CMA CGM, its size and LNG propulsion significantly cut emissions of CO₂, sulphur oxides (SOx), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) compared with conventional containerships.
The ship will operate on the Asia–Europe trade, with its maiden voyage having already been completed from China to Europe via the Suez Canal. Despite heightened security risks in the Middle East, the vessel transited the Red Sea under the protection of a French Navy frigate as part of the EU’s Aspides maritime security mission, avoiding the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope.
CMA CGM Notre Dame has received its name in honour of the famous cathedral in Paris and was christened by Delphine Arnault, CEO of Dior Couture, during a ceremony attended by French government officials and company executives.
The vessel is the flagship of CMA CGM’s latest fleet renewal programme aimed at supporting the company’s target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Alongside the delivery of the remaining nine vessels, the company also announced plans to recruit 135 new French seafarers to crew the ships.
