LNG-powered ULCS launched

The first of nine 23,000-TEU LNG-powered ultra large container ships (ULCS) that is being built for the French container line CMA CGM has been launched at the Shanghai Jiangnan-Changxing Shipyard in China. The CMA CGM Jaques Saade, named after the group’s founder, will join the company’s fleet in 2020, deployed on the French Asia Line between Asia and northern Europe, registered on the French International Register.
It will require 18,000m³ of LNG on the round trip. In addition to LNG propulsion, the vessel and its sisters will have a range of energy-saving and innovative design features. The bulb, for example, has been integrated into the ship’s hull and the bow is straight. A Becker Twisted Fin and an optimised propeller and rudder blade ensure maximum thrust at the stern. Meanwhile, the ship’s bridge incorporates several new features to assist navigation and improve safety, including a smart eye system projecting a bird’s eye view of the ship’s surroundings and augmented reality screens providing information to the crew on rate of turn, distance from the quay and transverse speed. The CMA CGM Jaques Saade will also have a smart system to manage ventilation for the 2,200 reefer slots below deck.
By 2022, the container line will have 20 LNG-powered vessels in its fleet including nine of the CMA CGM Jaques Saade type, five 15,000-TEU vessels and six 1,400-TEU feeders for its intra-Europe subsidiary, Containerships. Three of these have already been delivered.