CMA CGM Notre Dame, world’s largest LNG‑powered container ship, launches Asia‑Europe service

French shipping group CMA CGM has placed its new ultra‑large container vessel CMA CGM Notre Dame into service. The 400‑metre ship, capable of carrying up to 24,000 TEU and powered by liquefied natural gas, is the largest LNG‑driven container ship in the world. It will begin a round‑trip on the busy Asia‑Europe corridor, departing Le Havre for Asia on Monday and returning after a 100‑day voyage that includes calls at Rotterdam, Hamburg, Antwerp, Tanger Med, Port Klang, Singapore, Yantian, Shanghai and Ningbo.

The vessel transports a wide mix of goods—chemicals, food, wine, pharmaceuticals and luxury items to Asia, and electronics, clothing and appliances on the return leg—valued at €2.5‑3 billion per voyage. Designed for low‑carbon operation, LNG reduces CO₂ emissions by 20‑25 % and virtually eliminates sulphur oxides, while the ship’s AI‑driven navigation system optimises routes and cuts fuel use, saving an estimated 600 000 t of CO₂ annually across the fleet. CMA CGM aims for net‑zero emissions by 2050, and the Notre Dame is the first of ten ultra‑large LNG vessels slated for delivery between 2026 and early 2028. CEO Rodolphe Saadé highlighted the strategic importance of free navigation for Europe’s prosperity and the need to bolster trade capacity amid recent geopolitical tensions.