CMA CGM's newest methanol dual-fuel boxship christened in South Korea

France-based maritime transport heavyweight CMA CGM has held a naming ceremony for its brand-new dual-fuel container vessel powered by methanol.

According to the company’s social media post, the 13,000 TEU vessel was formally christened CMA CGM Helium at a yard in South Korea. The newbuilding—which is part of a 12-unit strong order—was constructed by South Korean titan HD Hyundai Samho.

As informed, the boxship, flying under the Maltese flag, boasts an overall length of 335 meters and a beam of 51 meters.

Officials from the Marseille-headquartered shipping player have disclosed that CMA CGM Helium has already been deployed on the company’s Phoenician Express (BEX2) service that links China, Korea, Singapore, Egypt, Lebanon, Slovenia, Italy, Croatia, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia.

The inaugural unit of the containership series that CMA CGM had booked at HD Hyundai in February 2023 in a deal worth KRW 2.52 trillion ($2 billion), named CMA CGM Iron, was welcomed in March this year.

The vessel, which is reportedly the ‘first-ever’ methanol dual unit to be added to the company’s roster, made