The CMA CGM Carmen is strategically deployed on the BEX2 (Phoenician Express) service, a vital trade artery linking North Asia with the Levant and the Adriatic Sea. This rotation connects major manufacturing hubs in China and South Korea to key Mediterranean gateways such as Beirut, Koper, and Trieste, emphasizing CMA CGM’s commitment to injecting low-carbon tonnage into high-volume East-West corridors. By centering its methanol-powered fleet on these routes, the Group leverages established green bunkering hubs in Shanghai and Singapore to maintain a sustainable, transcontinental logistics loop.
France | March 17, 2026 – In a move that further consolidates its position as a frontrunner in the maritime energy transition, CMA CGM has officially named the CMA CGM Carmen, a 15,000-TEU container ship powered by methanol.
The naming ceremony, steeped in maritime tradition, took place this week in China at the Jiangnan Shipyard. The vessel was welcomed by her Master, Captain Kyaw Kyaw Lwin, and her godmother, Ms. Xing Yue (Luna), General Manager of Clarksons Research Services Limited (Greater China).
A Strategic Milestone in the “Kun” Series
The CMA CGM Carmen is the latest delivery in the shipowner’s ambitious “Kun” series, a class of ultra-large, dual-fuel vessels designed specifically to optimize fuel efficiency while slashing greenhouse gas emissions.
With a length of 366 meters and a beam of 51 meters, the Carmen is part of a broader delivery schedule that includes her sister ships, the CMA CGM Antigone and CMA CGM Eugenie. These vessels are increasingly being deployed on key East-West corridors, such as the BEX2 (Phoenician Express) service, which links major Asian manufacturing hubs with the Mediterranean and the Levant.
The Methanol Momentum
The delivery highlights a significant shift in CMA CGM’s bunkering strategy. While the group remains a heavy proponent of LNG, its methanol-powered fleet is expanding rapidly.
- Current Standing: The Carmen joins a fleet that now includes over 11 methanol-capable vessels.
- The Roadmap: CMA CGM has 24 methanol-powered ships on order, contributing to a total projected fleet of 200 dual-fuel vessels (LNG and methanol) by 2031.
- Decarbonization Goals: By utilizing “green” or bio-methanol, the carrier aims for a 65% reduction in lifecycle CO2 emissions compared to conventional VLSFO.
Scaling the Green Bunkering Infrastructure
The arrival of the Carmen follows a record-breaking bunkering operation earlier this month at Yangshan Port, where the 13,000-TEU CMA CGM Osmium took on 3,643 tons of biomethanol. This operation, conducted in partnership with SIPG Energy, represents the largest single biomethanol bunkering in Chinese history, proving that the infrastructure required to support these high-spec vessels is maturing at pace with the fleet itself.
As the industry faces tightening IMO 2030 and EU Fit for 55 regulations, the naming of the CMA CGM Carmen serves as a clear signal to the bunker market: the demand for liquid low-carbon alternatives is no longer a distant projection, it is a present-day reality.
About CMA CGM
The CMA CGM Group is a global leader in sea, land, air, and logistics solutions, guided by its corporate purpose: “We imagine better ways to serve a world in motion.”
Present in 177 countries, the Group employs 160,000 people, including nearly 6,000 in Marseille, where its headquarters are located. As the world’s third-largest container shipping company, CMA CGM serves more than 420 ports across five continents with a fleet of over 650 vessels, carrying more than 23 million TEUs in 2024.
Through subsidiaries such as CEVA Logistics, CMA CGM AIR CARGO, and CMA Media, the Group has built an integrated global platform spanning logistics, air freight, and media, while maintaining a strong commitment to energy transition, humanitarian aid, and education worldwide.
Source: CMA CGM