India’s maritime sector reforms are yielding tangible results, exemplified by a recent contract between CMA CGM and Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) for the construction of six LNG-fuelled feeder container vessels, each with a capacity of 1,700 TEU. The agreement was formalized at an event in New Delhi, attended by key figures including the Minister of State for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Shri Shantanu Thakur, and CMA CGM’s Chairman and CEO, Mr. Rodolphe Saadé.
The vessels will be built at CSL’s facility in Kochi and will proudly fly the Indian flag. This project not only adds to India’s commercial shipbuilding portfolio but also highlights the increasing collaboration between global shipping leaders and Indian shipyards, aligned with the government’s maritime development policies. Union Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal emphasized the significance of this partnership, linking it to the robust strategic ties between India and France.
Shri Shantanu Thakur noted that this milestone stems from high-level discussions during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to France in February 2025, where CMA CGM expressed interest in leveraging India’s evolving shipping policies. Following extensive negotiations, CSL and CMA CGM finalized the technical and commercial details, culminating in this landmark shipbuilding contract.
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