CMA CGM Celebrates Naming NOTRE DAME, the Largest French-Flagged Containership

On Thursday, July 2, CMA CGM in Le Havre unveiled the 'Notre Dame,' the first of ten new LNG-powered container ships that the French shipping company plans to add to its fleet by 2028.

The ship, which is 399 metres long and 61.3 metres wide, is the biggest container ship operating under the French flag and the largest LNG-powered ship globally.

The Notre Dame, which has a capacity of up to 24,000 TEUs, embarked on its first voyage with over 24,000 environmentally friendly containers composed of pine and bamboo, which lessens the units' weight and environmental impact.

Featuring High-Profile Attendance & an LNG-powered

LNG propulsion has significantly lower emissions of sulphur oxides, fine particles, nitrogen oxides, and CO₂ compared to traditional marine fuels. The vessel's length also falls within the maximum allowed for transit through the Suez Canal, a route that large container ships have largely avoided over the last eighteen months.

Notably, the baptism ceremony at Port 2000 docks in Le Havre gathered approximately 400 guests, including maritime authorities, local representatives, economic partners, and the ship's crew. Delphine Arnault, daughter of businessman Bernard Arnault and head of an LVMH fashion brand, attended as the godmother.

Moreover, attendance included Brigitte Macron, wife of the French president; Édouard Philippe, former prime minister and current mayor of Le Havre; Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot; and Secretary of State Sabrina Agresti-Roubache, a former deputy for Bouches-du-Rhône.

The vessel's name honours the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, whose reconstruction after the 2019 fire took five years and is cited by the French Government as a model for major industrial projects.

The nine remaining vessels will be named after iconic French monuments and locations, including Pantheon, Orsay, Luxembourg, Versailles, Pont-Neuf, Nation, Austerlitz, Montmartre, and Longchamp, with plans for gradual service entry by 2028.

CMA CGM Adds Ten French-Flag Ships to Asia-Europe Line

The series of ten vessels will operate under the French flag in CMA CGM's French Asia Line service between Asia and Europe, expanding the French-flagged fleet from 30 to 40 by 2028.

Besides, this will require hiring 135 trained French sailors from the National Superior Maritime School. Maintaining a vessel under a French flag incurs an additional cost of two million dollars annually per unit compared to registration in Malta.

During the ceremony, CMA CGM executives and local authorities emphasised the company's significant role at Port 2000, handling 450,000 TEUs of the 3.2 million TEUs processed there in 2025.

Édouard Philippe noted that the development of Port 2000 spanned nearly three decades, involving debates and expansions, ultimately making it one of the only French ports, alongside Fos, equipped to accommodate vessels of 24,000 TEUs.

Maritime Professional Training examines mega-container ships measuring 400 metres and capable of over 24,000 TEU, relying on advanced LNG systems, deep-water ports, and precise routing. Operations employ complex bay-planning software to handle cargo and hazardous materials. Analysing ships like MSC Irina and CMA CGM's LNG fleet illustrates the interaction of engineering, geography, and logistics at this scale.

As Notre Dame Starts Service, France Highlights Its Maritime Might

The commissioning of the chatière, which connects Port 2000 to the Seine, is highlighted as a critical issue. This infrastructure will enable containers from Notre Dame to access the river network without disrupting their load.

Rodolphe Saadé, CEO of CMA CGM, stated that the decision to flag new vessels in France is tied to the country's competitiveness in international trade and support for the French merchant navy. Institutional representatives highlighted the importance of France retaining its maritime capacity amid rising tensions concerning major straits and global sea routes.

In short, Notre Dame has commenced commercial operations on the Asia-Europe route, where CMA CGM focuses a large share of its high-capacity traffic, as the company gets ready for the gradual delivery of the remaining nine units by the decade's end.

Details:

• Length: 399 m.
• Beam: 61.3 m.
• Capacity of 24,000 TEUs.
• Propulsion: Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
• The largest containership with a French flag.
• The first of ten next-generation vessels.
• Operating on the French Asia Line service connecting Asia and Europe.

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