CMA CGM finalizes a biomethane supply agreement
3 weeks ago
CMA CGM finalizes a biomethane supply agreement
The French liner CMA CGM Group has partnered with waste management leader SUEZ to create a long-term industrial alliance focused on biomethane production through waste recovery.
Under this collaboration, SUEZ will supply CMA CGM with up to 100,000 tonnes of biomethane annually by 2030. The two companies plan to invest €100 million in the construction of biomethane production facilities.
Rodolphe Saadé, chairman and CEO of CMA CGM Group, remarked, “This strategic partnership with SUEZ, a key player in France’s energy transition, represents a significant advancement for us. It will enable us to bolster the biomethane sector within the shipping industry while accelerating CMA CGM’s decarbonization efforts and ensuring our path to carbon neutrality by 2050. This initiative also enhances our energy independence, which is vital for the sovereignty of both France and Europe.”
Recent data from DNV indicates that LNG has surged to become the leading alternative fuel for newbuild contracts in the past three months, surpassing methanol, with CMA CGM among its early advocates.
“Since the summer, LNG has emerged as the primary alternative fuel, comprising about 60% of all new orders fueled by strong demand in the container segment,” noted Jason Stefanatos, global decarbonization director at DNV Maritime.
Peter Keller, chairman of the advocacy group SEA-LNG, expressed satisfaction with LNG's growing acceptance among shipowners, stating, “LNG is the only practical and realistic alternative fuel pathway available today, even for those considering other options.”
Keller added that liquefied biomethane and eventually hydrogen-based e-methane could be potential future alternatives for shipowners exploring LNG.
This month, Maersk placed orders for its first LNG dual-fuel vessels, a type of propulsion the company had previously shunned.
“While green methanol is expected to be the most competitive and scalable solution for decarbonization in the near term, Maersk envisions a multi-fuel future for the industry that includes liquefied biomethane,” the company stated in a release earlier this year.
Source: Splash247