Today, a spectacular moment took place at the Baltic Hub terminal in the Port of Gdańsk – the first call of the modern container ship CMA CGM Mermaid.

The 204-meter ship, which set off on its maiden voyage from Korea, overcoming the Cape of Good Hope, has arrived in Europe, presenting the latest achievements in maritime technology and shipping.

CMA CGM Mermaid is a pioneering ship in a series of ten 2,000 TEU vessels that will be gradually put into service on the routes of Northern Europe and the Mediterranean.

The container ship was designed by the French shipyard Chantiers de l’Atlantique and the Danish company Odense Marine Technique. It was built in the Korean Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD). The introduction of these ships to feeder lines in Europe is part of the CMA CGM group’s decarbonization strategy. The shipowner expects that these ships will be used to transfer cargo that is currently transported by more emission-intensive land transport. The use of innovative design and LNG fuel technology allows for a reduction of CO2 emissions by up to 20% compared to traditional ships.

The vessels feature several innovative solutions. First of all, these are the first CMA CGM container ships with a superstructure at the bow, which has improved aerodynamic properties and load capacity. The bow of the ships also has a new shape with an integrated bulbous bow, which provides better hydrodynamic properties and allows for a reduction in fuel consumption by up to 15 percent, while ensuring greater maneuverability. The last feeder of the French carrier in this series, which is to be delivered at the end of the year, will also be equipped with fuel cells that will generate energy from hydrogen, which will ensure zero emission of the ship while moored in ports.

Hyundai Mipo in South Korea received an order to build a series of vessels in late 2021. CMA CGM says the first six ships will join its Northern European line, sailing the Baltic and to Scandinavian ports from Hamburg and Bremerhaven between April and July 2024. Four additional ships will start serving Mediterranean routes between September and the end of the year.

CMA CGM said it was investing more than $15 billion in fleet renewal as part of its transition to net-zero carbon emissions. The group has already deployed more than 30 ships, about five percent of its 620-ship fleet, powered by alternative fuels. The French giant said it would have almost 120 ships powered by low-emission fuels by 2028.