Sources told LNG Prime on Thursday that the Marseille-based firm has revealed interest in booking 8 to 10 vessels with a capacity of 11,000 teu, which could be built in China or South Korea.
The sources said the ships will feature LNG dual-fuel propulsion.
However, CMA CGM has not yet signed a letter of intent for the new order.
There is no certainty that this interest would result in a new order.
No further information regarding the potential order has been revealed.
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 $18 billion in orders for 131 dual-fuel vessels, which will be operational by 2028.
Most of these container vessels, including the giant 23,000-teu LNG dual-fuel containerships, are powered by LNG.
Also, twelve of these new LNG-powered vessels joined the fleet in the third quarter of this year, CMA CGM said in its recent financial report.
In July, CMA CGM ordered 12 more LNG dual-fuel containership worth about $2.66 billion in South Korea.
In addition, LNG Prime was the first to report last year that CMA CGM had decided to switch an order it placed at China’s SWS for methanol-powered containerships to LNG fuel.
This order, worth about $1 billion, is for eight vessels with a capacity of 9,200 teu.
According to Alphaliner, CMA CGM is the world’s third-largest liner with 3,812,925 teu and a 12.3 percent share. Switzerland-based MSC is first and Denmark’s Maersk is second.
