CMA CGM Group's two containerships lead the inaugural procession of the New Suez Canal
The CMA CGM Group, a leading worldwide shipping group, is pleased to announce that the CMA CGM LAPEROUSE and the CMA CGM TITAN are positioned at the head of the vessel procession during the New Suez Canal inauguration, on Thursday August, 6th.
The CMA CGM Group, the third largest container shipping company, has 11 of its main shipping lines transiting by the Suez Canal. As a key partner of the Canal, the Group had two of its vessels, the CMA CGM LAPEROUSE and the CMA CGM TITAN, sailing at the head of the inaugural procession.
8% of the world commercial exchanges go through the Canal, which represents 1 CMA CGM vessel on each direction of the Suez Canal every day.
The geostrategic place of the Canal, located at the crossroads of the maritime lines serving the world’s main markets, draw the politics and international companies’ interests for this event.
On August 6th, Egypt celebrates the inauguration of the New Suez Canal with 5,000 prestigious guests. This major international event marks the completion of the 12 months works, initially expected to last from three to five years, during which the canal was doubled on 31 miles and enlarged on 22 miles.
The new Suez Canal works achievement within a year testifies of the President Al-Sissi’s “New Egypt” and of the Egyptian government’s will to anticipate the growing transits forecasts and vessels size increase. The CMA CGM Group has been crossing the canal since 1983 and expects to have more of its vessels transiting through Suez. 637 CMA CGM vessels have sailed the canal in 2014. 700 containerships, with a capacity that can reach 18,000 containers each, should be transiting by the Suez Canal in 2015.
CMA CGM and the Suez Canal
- CMA CGM services transiting through the Canal: 11
- CMA CGM vessels' crossings in 2014: 637
- CO2 Emission reductions with the Suez Canal compared to sailing around Africa
- On Asia-Europe services: 44%
- On Asia-Med services: 68%
- First crossing of the Canal by CMA CGM: 1983
- Ports of call: 18,000 TEUs
Marseille, France based CMA CGM was founded in 1978 by Jacques R. Saadé. Today the French shipping group has become the world’s third largest container shipping company and number one in France operating across the world’s oceans. It is also one of the first global shipping operators to have control over the whole logistics chain offering a door-to-door service that integrates both inland waterway transport (River Shuttle Containers) and railways (CMA Rail), as well as port handling facilities and logistics on land.
