CMA CGM Starts Upgrades of 100 Vessels at Damen to Improve Efficiency
French shipping giant CMA CGM is the latest to plan upgrades applying a range of technologies to help it improve the efficiency of its ships. Damen Shipyards Group reports it has reached an agreement for a long-term cooperation that will result in significant modifications to around 100 of CMA CGM’s vessels, including several of the newest in the fleet. Faced with increasing environmental regulations and financial pressures, shipowners are pursuing near-term upgrades to their in-service ship designs to help meet the first-tier industry goals for reduced emissions. Analysts believe that through the use of the available improvements to ships and technology such as routing and voyage planning systems the shipping industry will be able to meet the IMO’s goals for a 30 percent reduction in emissions by 2030. Damen highlights that up until now CMA CGM has been using shipyards in China and occasionally the Middle East. This project calls for the upgrades to take place at Damen Shiprepair Dunkerque and Damen Shiprepair Amsterdam, marking the first time CMA CGM will use European yards for complex modifications. A key part of the project will be the installation of…