CMA CGM has received the first bio-LNG supply for the CMA CGM Notre Dame, its latest LNG-powered container ship with a capacity of 24,000 TEUs and currently the largest LNG-powered container ship in the world, at the port of Rotterdam. The operation, with 11,125 cubic meters of bio-LNG supplied, ranks among the largest bio-LNG bunkering operations carried out to date in the world and is the largest ever conducted for a CMA CGM ship.
The supply, the first 100% bio-LNG for the new flagship of the fleet, has been made with bio-LNG produced in Europe from biomethane sourced from agricultural and organic waste. The fuel has been supplied by TotalEnergies' LNG bunkering vessel.
The CMA CGM Notre Dame, launched in May 2026 and flagged in France, is the largest container ship sailing under the French flag. With a capacity of 24,212 TEUs, including 1,600 plugs for refrigerated containers, the vessel has been designed to operate on LNG and is already fully compatible with the use of bio-LNG and, in the future, with synthetic fuels such as e-methane.
Bio-LNG, or liquefied biomethane, is a renewable fuel that meets European standards and allows for a reduction of at least 67% in greenhouse gas emissions over its entire life cycle compared to conventional marine fuels. Its use contributes to accelerating the energy transition of the maritime sector, relying on the existing large-scale LNG supply infrastructure, with deliveries based on a mass balance system.
With the backing of TotalEnergies and the port of Rotterdam, and within the development of a green corridor between Rotterdam and Asia, the operation reflects CMA CGM's determination to continue with its decarbonization strategy while also supporting the development of European renewable fuel value chains for maritime transport. As one of the world’s leading LNG and bio-LNG supply hubs, the port of Rotterdam plays an important role in the large-scale deployment of alternative marine fuels.
The operation adds to the pioneering initiatives that the group launched in 2020 with the entry into service of the CMA CGM Jacques Saade. In compliance with European sustainability and traceability requirements, CMA CGM also contributes to the development of the biomethane sector to accelerate the reduction of the carbon footprint of its operations.
For several years, CMA CGM has been developing an energy transition strategy based on a diversified portfolio of technological solutions. The group is making significant investments in LNG-powered, methanol-powered ships, and in the future, other low-carbon fuels, with the aim of supporting the transformation of the maritime transport sector.
Currently, CMA CGM operates one of the largest dual-fuel fleets in the world and maintains its investments for the decarbonization of maritime transport, aiming to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The supply to the Notre Dame solidifies Rotterdam as one of the benchmark ports for alternative fuel supply for maritime transport, in a sector that is working towards the net-zero emissions target set for 2050.