Corporate
CMA CGM: highlights of 2016
NOL acquisition, maritime hubs in Kingston and La Reunion Island, inauguration of the largest vessel ever to call the United States, worldwide innovation to transport live lobsters, etc. Let’s have a look back on CMA CGM’s 2016 highlights.
January | The Reunion Island becomes CMA CGM Group’s new maritime hub in the Indian Ocean
CMA CGM presented its new strengthened services offer linking the Reunion Island at the occasion of the inauguration of the New Port Reunion. The group positions the Reunion Island as a strategic hub in the Indian Ocean and restores its position as the maritime crossroads between Europe, Asia and Africa.
February | The CMA CGM BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, the largest vessel ever to call the United States, is inaugurated in Long Beach
The 18,000 TEU capacity was inaugurated in the presence of Jacques R. Saadé, CMA CGM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. This inauguration, a unique event for the U.S. shipping industry, symbolizes CMA CGM’s leading role in trade between the United States and the rest of the world. CMA CGM, by integrating NOL and its leading brand APL, now ranks N°1 on the American and the Transpacific markets.
March | CMA CGM sets a new milestone for its development within the West Africa region
In 2016, CMA CGM set a new milestone for its development within the West African region. In March, the shipping services linking this area to its main economic partner regions (Europe, Asia, Middle-East and India) were reinforced, notably with the deployment of 9,400 TEU vessels on the ASAF service, the largest to call these countries. This enables the Group to offer the best service to its customers.
During the month of September, Rodolphe Saadé, Vice-Chairman of the CMA CGM Group, inaugurated a unique training course tailored for its future African executives in collaboration with the CMA CGM Academy, the French Business School KEDGE, and the ARSTM in Abidjan (Academie Régionale des Sciences et Techniques de la Mer).
April | CMA CGM establishes a new alliance with COSCO, Evergreen and OOCL: “OCEAN ALLIANCE”
This is a milestone agreement among four of the world’s leading container shipping lines. With more than 40 maritime services, 323 ships and an unmatched offer – notably on the Transpacific market - it is the largest operational agreement ever made between shipping companies. By deploying 119 vessels representing 35% of the global capacity, CMA CGM will be the major player within this alliance, offering a better port coverage, more direct calls and better transit times.
April | Global innovation : CMA CGM develops AQUAVIVA, a new generation of containers to transport live lobsters
The AQUAVIVA container allows for the safe carriage of live lobsters in their original water in conditions maintaining their natural habitat. This global innovation relies on a unique worldwide technology, CMA CGM’s Reefer specialist expertise and the technology INNOPURE®, developed by EMYG Environnement & Aquaculture.
May | CMA CGM, at the heart of Huang Yong Ping’s MONUMENTA 2016 art installation
CMA CGM was the main partner of the Monumenta 2016 worldwide major contemporary art exhibition. The Group provided its technical expertise and know-how to Huang Yong Ping’s masterpiece.
June | Acquisition of NOL: a historic milestone for the CMA CGM Group
On Friday 10th June 2016, the CMA CGM Group assumed control of NOL, a listed Singaporean company, no. 12 in the world for container shipping. The acquisition reinforces CMA CGM’s position as a leader and reference in the shipping industry. The Group now employs more than 29,000 staff members, and carried 18 million containers on board its 536 vessels, with a turnover of 20 billion USD.
July | Hub: Kingston Containers Terminal concession
The Kingston Containers Terminal concession started on July 1st, 2016. Works will allow the creation of an entity capable of welcoming 14,000 TEU-capacity vessels. The Kingston hub location is strategic: at the entrance of the canal and at the crossroads of the North/South and East/West lines.
August | New Panama Canal: the CMA CGM MAGDALENA, 9,500 TEU-capacity vessel, becomes the Group’s largest vessel to cross the canal
The Panama Canal’s new locks were inaugurated in June 2016. High-capacity vessels can now cross the canal, as opposed to 5,000-TEU-capacity vessels previously. This is a strategy route for world trade: 5% of worldwide trades transit there (as opposed to 8% via the Suez Canal), which means that more than 200 million of tons of cargo per year are loaded on board more than 15,000 vessels. Today, CMA CGM is a main actor of the canal with an average of one vessel per day using it.
September | CMA CGM and Rodolphe Saadé awarded with the two highest distinctions at the Lloyd’s List Global Awards
CMA CGM, a leading worldwide shipping Group, was distinguished during the prestigious Lloyd’s List Global Awards. An unprecedented result, CMA CGM was honoured with the two highest distinctions of the ceremony: CMA CGM received the Company of the Year award, and Rodolphe Saadé was distinguished as the Newsmaker of the Year. The jury highlighted CMA CGM’s key role in the industry with these prizes.
October | CMA CGM signs a first cooperation agreement with ENGIE to develop the use of liquefied natural gas as an alternative to heavy fuel oil for maritime transportation
CMA CGM and ENGIE signed a Memorandum of Understanding focuses on a joint technical and economic study on LNG as a fuel for tomorrow’s container ships, and a study about the development of engineering specifications for a bunkering vessel adapted to LNG powered container ships. The two groups consider that the use of LNG as a marine fuel is destined to expand in the near future and intend to be active players in this development.
November | APL successful integration
APL improved its performance in the first three months under the ownership of CMA CGM Group. Indeed, APL’s 3Q 2016 volume rose almost 9.9% to 1.3 million TEUs, and its operating margin improve by 40.2% per FEU from the same period in the previous year. Moreover, CMA CGM finalized the early repayment of the acquisition credit, which amounted 1.6 billion dollar.
December | CMA CGM Foundation: associations PHONAMBULE and KAYANI receive the 2016 CMA CGM Foundation Prize
Naila Saadé, President of the CMA CGM Corporate Foundation, gave French association PHONAMBULE and Lebanese associations KAYANI the 2016 CMA CGM Foundation Prize. These prizes award the extraordinary work of these associations, for PHONAMBULE, with its musical performances for young children who are hospitalized or disabled, and for KAYANI, with young Syrian refugees in Lebanon. In 2016 1,500 disabled children benefited from the CMA CGM Corporate Foundation support through its call for proposals.
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