Blue or Red, Both Aisles of U.S. Politics Agree on Need to Bolster Shipbuilding

The United States is preparing to impose docking fees at its ports on any ship belonging to a fleet that includes Chinese-built or Chinese-flagged vessels, according to a draft executive order, a move aimed to both revitalize U.S. shipbuilding while countering China’s dominance in global shipping and shipbuilding.The draft order from President Donald Trump also urges allied nations to adopt similar policies or risk facing retaliatory measures from the U.S.China’s growing control over the maritime industry has become a rare bipartisan concern in the U.S.…
CMA CGM Group Announces $20 Billion Investment in U.S.

CMA CGM Group has announced a $20 billion investment to contribute to U.S. maritime economy and support the transformation of America’s domestic supply chain over the next four years.The announcement builds on CMA CGM Group’s 35-year presence in the U.S. Today, the Group operates in 40 states and employs 15,000 Americans. As a leading partner in U.S. trade, CMA CGM transports over 5 million shipping containers to and from the country each year.Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO of CMA CGM Group…
CMA CGM: US Fees on China Vessels Would Impact All Shipping Firms

U.S. proposals to hit Chinese vessels with high port fees would have a major impact on all firms in a container shipping industry in which most vessels are built in China, French-based shipping firm CMA CGM said on Friday.The U.S. Trade Representative's office has proposed charging up to $1.5 million for Chinese-built vessels entering U.S. ports as part of its investigation into China's expansion in the shipbuilding, maritime and logistics sectors."China builds more than half of all container ships in the world…
Service Fees on Chinese Vessels Could Cost Billions

VesselBot has highlighted the significant financial exposure for major container shipping lines under the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) proposed Section 301 service fees targeting China's maritime sector.USTR is proposing to impose fees and restrictions on international maritime transport services related to Chinese ship operators and Chinese-built ships, as it has found China’s acts, policies and practices to be unreasonable and to burden or restrict US commerce.Of the global container fleet of approximately 6…
Proposed China Vessel Fees Come with Supply Chain Risks

Analysts caution that a new proposal to impose fees on China-built container ships entering the U.S. could trigger unintended consequences, including port congestion, rising freight costs, and shifts in global trade flows.The Trump administration has announced a plan to charge a $1 million fee every time a vessel operated by a Chinese carrier docks at a U.S. port. Additionally, the Federal Notice outlines potential extra charges for any China-built ships, even if operated by carriers from other nations.
AD Ports Group Opens Al Faya Dry Port in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi-based AD Ports Group has inaugurated a new, custom-bound inland dry port facility, enhancing the connectivity of Khalifa Port.Al Faya Dry Port, strategically located between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, will act as an Inland Container Depot (ICD) linked overland to Khalifa Port, offering a transit terminal for trucks and thus improving speed to market and more cost-efficient cargo handling operations for Dubai and the Northern Emirates.Al Faya Dry Port will serve CMA CGM as…
Wärtsilä Lifecycle Agreement for 14 CMA Vessels

Wärtsilä signed a Lifecycle Agreement with CMA Ships, a leading French shipping company and CMA CGM subsidiary. The agreement covers 14 large LNG-fuelled container ships already in operation. The order with Wärtsilä was booked in Q1 2025.The scope of the agreement with CMA Ships will ensure operational reliability while providing maintenance planning flexibility and long-term cost predictability. “The management of new fuels such as LNG can be complex and costly. This agreement with Wärtsilä will help us secure ship operations and optimize engine maintenance costs.
Misunderstanding of Hydraulics and Guidance Contributed to Steering Failure

Container ship operator CMA CGM is revising steering guidance across its fleet after ambiguous procedures contributed to one of its ships colliding with a navigational beacon in the Yarra River, Victoria, Australia, an ATSB investigation report notes.Departing the Port of Melbourne on 25 May 2023 under the conduct of a harbor pilot, container ship CMA CGM Puccini contacted the navigational beacon after swinging wide in a turn when its rudder began responding erratically to helm orders.The ship was slowed and returned towards the middle of the channel…
Indian Prime Minister, French President Visit CMA CGM HQ

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron visited the CMA CGM Group headquarters in Marseille during Modi’s state visit to France. Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO of CMA CGM, welcomed both leaders for discussions on strengthening economic ties and advancing the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).With a 34-year presence in India and 17,000 employees, CMA CGM connects the country to global markets through 19 weekly maritime services. The Group has made strategic port investments in Nhava Sheva Freeport (NSFT) and Mundra Port.
Action Taken on Risks After Container Ship Breakaways

Two separate breakaways of container ships berthed at the Port of Brisbane, Australia, after heavy rains highlight the importance of robust emergency and risk management arrangements, according to an Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation.The May 2022 incidents occurred after an unprecedented stretch of rainfall resulted in significant freshwater inflows into the Brisbane River following several controlled water releases from dams located upriver.This resulted in strong currents through the Port of Brisbane…
CMA CGM Not Yet Willing to Risk Red Sea

French shipping and logistics group CMA CGM will continue to avoid the Red Sea even though it considers the region is more stable following the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, it said on Saturday.Shipping executives remain cautious about a return to the Red Sea, where Iran-backed Houthis have carried out more than 100 attacks on ships since November 2023, leading most shipping companies to divert vessels to other routes.CMA-CGM said in a statement the improved stability was "a positive but fragile sign" for the industry, and safety was a priority."Given the ongoing tensions and a
Just Do It! NIKE Commits to CMA CGM's New E-Barge Vessel Project

CMA CGM will build and deploy a zero emissions inland transport solution in Vietnam, a solution the company says is a "100% green electricity barge coupled with dedicated charging infrastructures" supplied by a new solar farm at Gemalink terminal in Cai Mep (25% owned by CMA CGM Group). A new dedicated solar farm on the premises of Gemalink will produce 1GWH of green electricity annually to recharge the e-barge.From Binh Duong Province to the deep-sea terminal of Gemalink, the e-barge will make the 180 km return journey emitting zero greenhouse gas emissions…
Singapore Bunker Sales Hit Two-Month low in November

Sales of marine bunker fuel at Singapore retreated to a two-month low in November after soaring in October, data from Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) showed.Bunker sales at the world's biggest ship refueling hub totaled 4.46 million metric tons in November, down 8.5% month-on-month but higher by 4.6% from a year ago, the data showed.Total vessel calls for bunkering fell 4.5% from the prior month to 3,296 in November, while container throughput dipped 4.7% to 3.34…
CMA CGM seeks 2025 Singapore biofuel bunker supply
French shipping major CMA CGM is seeking marine biofuel for term delivery in Singapore, the world's largest bunker hub, between January and December 2025, according to market sources.The company has been one of the top lifters of marine biofuel in Singapore this year, and is expanding its lifting period from half-year term supply this year to full-year supply next year, the sources said.It is looking to lift a monthly volume of 35,000 to 50,000 metric tons of the B24 blend, which comprises 24% used cooking oil methyl ester (UCOME) biofuel blended with conventional fuel. The tender closes on Dec. 16, the sources added.The shipping industry…
A Well-to-Wake-Up Call

This week at MarineLink…An Australian Prime Minister once famously (infamously) said: “Life wasn’t meant to be easy.”He could have been talking about the maze of IMO and EU regulations relating to new fuels, especially the concept of well-to-wake emissions.It’s not enough to have a clean-burning engine or even an onboard carbon capture system. Well-to-take emissions, upstream and out of the control of ship operators, will have to be factored in.This week, MarineLink reported that a CMA-CGM vessel bunkered bio-LNG in Rotterdam…
Liquified Bio-Methane Bunkered in Rotterdam

The Rotterdam-Singapore Green and Digital Shipping Corridor (GDSC) partners have conducted a successful pilot for the bunkering of mass-balanced liquefied bio-methane (LBM) at the Port of Rotterdam.A total of 100 tonnes of mass-balanced LBM was supplied by Shell to CMA CGM’s LNG-powered containership CMA CGM Tivoli.The LBM was produced from waste-based feedstock. Shell issued a Proof of Sustainability certificate for the LBM fuel, verifying its compliance with European Union regulations.
Greener Fuels, Cleaner Fuels?

This week at MarineLink…The IMO 2020 Sulfur Cap essentially ushered in a new type of fuel - VLSFO. With it came the engine problems caused by off-spec or incompatible fuels as producers grappled with the requirement for providing a sulfur content not exceeding 0.05%. As pointed out in Lloyd’s Register’s 2024 Fuel Quality Report, persistent issues involving cat fines, stability, sulfur content and flash point continue, and isolated incidents of chemical contamination are still occurring.If new…
Container Shippers Mitigating Green Transition Risks with Dual-Fuel Vessel Orders

Container shipping companies like Maersk, CMA CGM and COSCO have ordered hundreds of new vessels in recent years meant to help their industry slash greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to meet rising demand from customers and regulators around the globe.Their order books, however, reflect uncertainty over which of a wide array of so-called green fuels will become the standard in the decades to come, and whether supplies will be cheap and abundant enough to keep their fleets in motion.Decarbonizing…
CMA CGM's Profit Jumps on Buoyant Demand
Strong global demand pushed up CMA CGM's third-quarter profit while the current quarter was seeing a rush to ship goods from China, the shipping group said on Friday as it played down the risk to trade from possible U.S. tariffs.The French company reported a net profit of $2.73 billion for third quarter, up from $388 million in the year-earlier period, supported by a 5.5% increase in volume for its main ocean shipping division.Like other shipping firms, CMA CGM has benefited from restocking by U.S. companies this year, amplified by concerns that geopolitical tensions and a recent labor dispute at U.S. East Coast ports would hurt trade.Businesses are waiting to see if Donald Trump will impose tariffs on China and other countries as he promised during his victorious U.S.
Winners of CMA CGM Startup Awards Announced

The CMA CGM Group has announced the winners of its first CMA CGM Startup Awards.The international competition, organized in partnership with BFM Business, La Tribune and ZEBOX, attracted over 400 entries from innovative startups. 60 finalists, including 34 French startups, were selected to present their projects. Among the finalists were five startups supported by ZEBOX, the international innovation gas pedal initiated by Rodolphe Saadé.The solutions presented, focusing on the shipping…
Port Everglades Celebrates Banner Year

Preliminary fiscal year-end figures show Port Everglades enjoying healthy increases in cruise, cargo and petroleum volumes resulting in record revenues."Port Everglades is one of Broward County's vital economic engines, which supports more than 11,000 local jobs. That is a direct result of the success of the amazing leadership at Port Everglades and diverse array of companies served by our port," said Broward County Mayor Nan Rich.Port Everglades is a self-supporting enterprise fund of Broward County government and does not use local property taxes to operate.
MSC Buys $765 Million Stake in Wilson Sons

Investment holding company Ocean Wilsons has agreed to sell its 56.47% stake in Brazilian unit Wilson Sons to shipping services provider SAS for 4.35 billion reais ($764.9 million), it said on Monday.London-listed Ocean Wilsons, which is the controlling shareholder of shipping firm Wilson Sons, said in a statement it was a "compelling time" for the sale, after it announced last year it was reviewing its investment in the Brazilian company.The move by SAS, a unit of shipping giant MSC, follows French rival CMA CGM's $2 billion deal to buy port terminal operator Santos Brasil last month.MSC, a p
CMA CGM and SUEZ Partner on Biomethane

CMA CGM Group and circular waste management company SUEZ have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a long-term industrial partnership on biomethane, a renewable fuel produced through waste recovery, to help decarbonise shipping in Europe.Th agreement aims for:• The supply by SUEZ of up to 100,000 tonnes of biomethane per year by 2030. This biomethane would be used by the CMA CGM Group for its gas-powered ships.• The creation of a joint investment structure with…