CMA CGM has officially named the CMA CGM ALCESTE, a 15,000 TEU dual-fuel vessel powered by alternative methanol technology, under the command of Captain Li Qiang Wang. As part of a dedicated six-vessel series inspired by classic literary figures, the ship advances the carrier’s broader commitment to scaling low-carbon propulsion across its global fleet. Equipped with dual-fuel methanol main engines, the vessel provides a proven operational architecture to burn biomethanol and e-methanol, sharply cutting criteria pollutants and Scope 1 greenhouse gas emissions.
Marseille, France | September 28, 2026 – CMA CGM has expanded its low-carbon container fleet with the official naming of the CMA CGM ALCESTE, a 15,000 TEU dual-fuel vessel powered by methanol. Built by China’s Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company (DSIC), the ship marks a key step in the French carrier’s broader strategy to scale alternative fuel propulsion across its main trunk routes.
Under the command of Captain Li Qiang Wang, the vessel enters active service as part of a dedicated six-ship series honoring iconic literary figures. Named after the protagonist of Molière’s 17th-century play The Misanthrope, the ALCESTE bridges French cultural heritage with modern decarbonization technology.
BEX2 Integration and Regional Coverage
The CMA CGM ALCESTE will be deployed on the carrier’s Bosphorus Express 2 (BEX2 / Phoenician Express) service. An Ocean Alliance loop, the BEX2 provides direct mainline links between major manufacturing hubs in Asia and key importing gateways across the Mediterranean and Levant.
Operational Highlights
- Service Loop: Connects primary Asian ports including Shanghai, Busan, Ningbo, Shekou, and Singapore with strategic Mediterranean and Middle Eastern trade stops including Alexandria, Beirut, Rijeka, Koper, and Trieste.
- Capacity & Efficiency: The introduction of 15,000 TEU methanol-powered slots enhances capacity on the BEX2 while optimizing fuel usage and reducing greenhouse gas emissions per container mile.
Methanol Bunkering & Decarbonization Strategy
The delivery of the CMA CGM ALCESTE builds on CMA CGM’s recent rollout of methanol dual-fuel tonnage, joining sister ships delivered earlier this year including the CMA CGM Roi Arthur, CMA CGM Berenice, CMA CGM Esmeralda, CMA CGM Silver, CMA CGM Carmen, and CMA CGM Osmium.
Designed with dual-fuel propulsion, the vessel can run on both green methanol (such as biomethanol or synthetic e-methanol) and conventional marine fuels. Operating on green methanol enables a near-total reduction in sulfur oxides (SOx), particulate matter, and nitrogen oxides (NOx), offering CMA CGM a direct pathway to lower Scope 1 emissions and satisfy tightening international regulatory frameworks like FuelEU Maritime and IMO carbon mandates.
About the CMA CGM Group
The CMA CGM Group is a global player in sea, land, air, and logistics solutions, true to its corporate purpose: We imagine better ways to serve a world in motion. Present in 184 countries, the Group employs 170,000 people, including nearly 6,000 in Marseille, where its head office is located. As the world’s third-largest shipping company, CMA CGM serves more than 420 ports across five continents with a fleet of over 700 vessels. In 2025, CMA CGM carried more than 24 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).
Its subsidiary, CEVA Logistics, one of the top five global logistics players, operates 1,000 warehouses and handled 15 million shipments in 2025. The Group’s air division operates a fleet of cargo aircraft under the CMA CGM AIR CARGO and Air Belgium brands. CMA Media, the third-largest private media group in France, brings together RMC-BFM, several national and regional press titles (La Tribune Dimanche, La Tribune, La Provence, and Corse Matin), and the social media platform Brut.
Committed to the energy transition, the CMA CGM Group aims to achieve Net Zero Carbon by 2050. The CMA CGM Foundation provides humanitarian aid in crisis situations and supports education and equal opportunities worldwide. To date, the Foundation has transported 120,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid to 106 countries and supported over 630 projects in France, Lebanon, and across the globe.
Source: CMA CGM