CMA CGM Eyes $2.2 Billion LNG Mega-Ship Deal with China and South Korea Shipyards

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French shipping giant CMA CGM is in the final stages of negotiations for a new $2.2 billion shipbuilding program, targeting up to 12 ultra-large, dual-fuel LNG-powered container ships with capacities ranging from 20,000 to 24,000 TEU.

The vessels are projected to cost between $180 million and $220 million each, with delivery schedules penciled in between 2028 and 2029. According to shipbuilding sources, discussions are underway with five prominent Asian shipyards—two in China and three in South Korea: HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hanwha Ocean, and Samsung Heavy Industries.

This newbuilding initiative, still unconfirmed by CMA CGM, signals a continued strategic pivot toward liquefied natural gas (LNG) propulsion. Despite growing momentum around methanol-fueled vessels elsewhere in the industry, CMA CGM remains committed to LNG, citing its scalability, economic viability, and compatibility with bio-LNG as part of a decarbonization roadmap.

Rather than a conventional fleet expansion, CMA CGM characterizes the move as a geopolitical and industrial strategy. LNG’s alignment with current infrastructure and fuel supply chains gives it an advantage in near-term deployment, and the company’s preference for dual-fuel capability leaves future options open.

The French carrier has increasingly positioned LNG at the center of its energy transition efforts. It argues that the fuel is not only mature but also deployable at scale—key factors as regulatory frameworks tighten and emission-reduction targets loom.

Earlier this year, CMA CGM placed two large-scale LNG dual-fuel orders valued at a combined $5 billion. One contract involved 8 firm plus 4 optional vessels of 18,000 TEU capacity from China’s Jiangnan Shipyard, with individual ship prices near $208 million. Delivery for these is scheduled between 2028 and 2029.

The other order included 12 vessels of the same capacity from South Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, with units priced at roughly $215 million and delivery promised before December 2028.

If the current negotiations for the additional 12 ships proceed, CMA CGM will have ordered 36 large LNG-fueled ships this year alone, with combined commitments exceeding $7 billion.

In parallel, CMA CGM is exploring smaller vessel segments. Sources report the company is considering a series of new orders for ships ranging from 1,000 to 6,000 TEU, with particular focus on up to 30 mid-sized, dual-fuel vessels around 6,000 TEU.

Deliveries for these ships are expected to stretch to 2030. This strategy aligns with the company’s broader effort to modernize its fleet across all trade lanes—not just major east-west corridors.

In Vietnam, CMA CGM is also preparing to deploy its first fully electric cargo ship by 2026. The 80-meter, 182-TEU vessel represents the group’s entry into zero-emission short-sea shipping.

Privately owned by the Saadé family, CMA CGM crossed the 4 million TEU fleet capacity mark in 2025, reinforcing its position as the world’s third-largest container shipping line by capacity. Its current orderbook includes 95 vessels under construction, primarily at Chinese yards, with a combined capacity of 1.5 million TEU.

With the new LNG projects under discussion, the orderbook could expand further, narrowing the gap with MSC and Maersk, its top global competitors.

Separate from its Asian shipyard activities, CMA CGM has committed to a $20 billion investment in the United States over four years. The plan includes U.S. shipbuilding, port terminals, logistics platforms, and automotive supply chains. The initiative also supports the development of a U.S.-flagged fleet and domestic maritime workforce training.

This American strategy complements the group’s broader global logistics expansion, reinforcing its ambition to control end-to-end cargo movement and deepen integration across maritime and land-based infrastructure.

While the latest $2.2 billion order has not been formally announced—a typical posture during sensitive negotiations—multiple sources in shipbuilding and maritime media have verified the scope, partners, and projected delivery windows. If confirmed, it will further consolidate CMA CGM’s influence in shaping the future trajectory of green container shipping under tightening regulatory and geopolitical constraints.