CMA CGM and CSSC’s Jiangnan Shipyard recently signed the LoI, sources told LNG Prime on Wednesday.
According to the sources, the shipbuilding deal could be signed as early as this month.
As previously reported by LNG Prime, the order is for 12 LNG dual-fuel vessels with a capacity of 18,000 teu.
Jianganan and CMA CGM have been cooperating for years. Jiangnan previously built, along Hudong-Zhonghua, the first batch of CMA CGM’s giant 23,000-teu LNG-powered containerships, as well as other sizes such as the six 15,000-teu LNG-powered containerships, which were completed last year.
The sources said that the new vessels are expected to be similar to the ones CMA CGM just ordered at South Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, but the price will be lower.
Last month, CMA CGM booked 12 LNG dual-fuel vessels with a capacity of 18,000 teu at HD Hyundai Heavy.
This order is worth about 3.72 trillion won ($2.59 billion) or some $216 million per vessel.
HD Hyundai Heavy will deliver these containerships by December 2028.
Also, these ships are said to feature MAN dual-fuel engines and GTT’s Mark III containment tech.
CMA CGM is one of the world’s largest backers of LNG fuel, and it has set a goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Pioneering the use of alternative fuels, the group has invested more than $18 billion in orders for more than 131 dual-fuel vessels, which will be operational by 2028.
Most of these container vessels are powered by LNG.
