On the occasion of Rodolphe Saadé’s – the CMA CGM’s chief – visit in India, the Group signed the final contract with Cochin Shipyard Limited for six LNG-powered vessels, as well as the recruitment of up to 1500 Indian seafarers by the end of 2026.
In the presence of minister of state at the ministry of ports, shipping and waterways Shri Shantanu Thakur, and the CMA CGM group’s chairman and chief executive officer Rodolphe Saadé, the Marseille-based container shipping line CMA CGM signed the final shipbuilding contract with Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) for six LNG-powered containerships of 1700-teu capacity.
The vessels will be constructed by Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi and will be registered under the Indian flag.
Following a series of meetings to finalise vessel specifications, Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) executed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with CMA CGM for the design and construction of six feeder container vessels, each with a capacity of 1,700-teu and powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Under the LoI, CSL and CMA CGM worked towards finalising techno-commercial terms, leading to the formal shipbuilding contract.
In parallel, CMA CGM through CMA SHIPS, has already recruited 1,000 Indian seafarers, with plans to onboard 1,500 seafarers by the end of 2026.
At the same time, CMA CGM is looking to expand its engagement in India’s container manufacturing and ship recycling.
Addressing the gathering, the minister of state for ports, shipping and waterways, Shri Shantanu Thakur, said: “This milestone has its roots in high-level strategic engagement. During the official visit of the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji to France on 12 February 2025, he visited the CMA CGM headquarters along with the President of France. During that interaction, the chairman of CMA CGM expressed strong interest – under India’s progressive shipping policy framework – in exploring the flagging of vessels in India and building new ships in Indian shipyards. Today’s agreement is the concrete outcome of that dialogue and shared vision.”
From his side, the chairman and CEO of CMA CGM Group Rodolphe Saadé, added: “I am pleased to be in India to deepen the strategic partnership, which has linked CMA CGM and India for nearly four decades. Today, we are strengthening our shipbuilding cooperation with Cochin Shipyard through the signing of six LNG-powered container vessels.
“At the same time, we are looking to expand our engagement in container manufacturing and ship recycling. This is fully aligned with Prime Minister Modi’s Maritime Vision 2047 to position India as a major maritime nation. As corridors such as India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) develop, connecting India to the Middle East and Europe, CMA CGM stands ready to contribute to this new phase of global trade.”
