CMA CGM Places Strategic Vessel Order And Establishes Innovation Hub In India

In the presence of Shri Shantanu Thakur – Minister of State at the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and the CMA CGM Group’s Chairman and CEO Rodolphe Saadé, the Group reinforced its long-term commitment to India during a high-level gathering in New Delhi. The event underscored the Group’s continued partnership with India’s maritime sector and its ambition to support the country’s growing role in global trade and logistics.

Deepening Strategic Maritime Partnerships in India in the presence of the Group’s top leadership:

During the visit of its global leadership in India, CMA CGM signed the final Shipbuilding Contract with Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) for six state-of-the-art LNG-powered containerships of 1700-teu capacity.

In parallel, CMA CGM is deeply committed to human capital development in India. Through CMA SHIPS, the Group has already recruited 1,000 Indian seafarers, with plans to onboard 1,500 seafarers by the end of 2026, further strengthening Group’s role in the global maritime workforce.

Building on this strategic milestone, the CMA CGM Group is actively exploring opportunities to partner with key stakeholders across India on initiatives designed to strengthen the country’s container manufacturing capabilities, promote sustainable ship recycling and support the development of domestic container shipping.

Driving Innovation Across the Global Supply Chain

On the occasion of its participation to the Indian AI summit, CMA CGM will develop its innovation presence in India to actively leverage artificial intelligence, digital solutions, and advanced analytics to transform the entire supply chain, from maritime operations and port efficiency to logistics optimization and customer experience.

As part of this commitment, in partnership with Capgemini, CMA CGM has established a dedicated Research & Development (R&D) hub in India, positioning the country as a key global center for innovation within the Group. The India R&D hub plays a critical role in developing next-generation digital and AI-enabled solutions that support CMA CGM’s worldwide operations

This panel of active participation and future developments reflects CMA CGM broader vision of being a long-term partner in India’s supply chain and infrastructure growth, combining global shipping expertise and competitivity in asset building and management, logistics excellence, technological innovation, and sustainable practices.

Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO of the CMA CGM Group, said: “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.”

Press Release

Source: Maritime Shipping News