CMA CGM Acquires La Méridionale, New Ship Orders Planned
The CMA CGM Group today finalized the acquisition of La Méridionale, a mixed-use freight and passenger shipping company established in Marseille since 1931. La Méridionale currently has four RoPax vessels, which operate up to 13 weekly crossings between Marseille, Porto Vecchio and Ajaccio, plus connections between Marseille and Morocco.
The acquisition of La Méridionale complements the new division of the CMA CGM Group dedicated to specialized shipping operations. This division encompasses the new car carrier business, the stake in Brittany Ferries, as well as the investment in NEOLINE, a Nantes-based company developing the first sail-powered ro-ro vessel, and now La Méridionale.
The vision for La Méridionale is to provide one of the first “green corridors” in the Mediterranean. To that end, the CMA CGM Group will invest in modernizing the shipping company’s fleet to improve energy efficiency and reduce its environmental impact. The Group intends to place an order for two new LNG-powered vessels. These ships will be able to run on methanol and deliver some of the best environmental performances in the sector. They will also be able to carry out operations with zero CO2 emissions during port calls and are set to replace the oldest vessels on services between Corsica and Marseille, contributing to the preservation of the environment between the island and the mainland.