The CMA CGM Kerguelen christened in France

The CMA CGM Group announced that the CMA CGM KERGUELEN, the Group’s largest vessel, was christened in Le Havre, France. The christening, in line with the great seafaring tradition, took place in presence of Jacques R. Saadé, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CMA CGM Group,
of Mrs Catherine Hayot, the vessel’s godmother, and of many institutional and political representatives, partners and clients.
Latest of the CMA CGM fleet’s vessels, the CMA CGM KERGUELEN was delivered on March 31st. She is, with her 398 meters length and 17,722 twenty-foot equivalent containers capacity, the Group’s largest vessel. She is the first of a 6 vessels of the same size series that will enter the fleet in 2015 and join the 460 vessels of the Group.

The CMA CGM Group is one of the world’s leading container shipping companies. In 2014, its carried volumes increased by 8.1%, up to 12.2 million TEUs, its revenue rose by 5.3% up to $16.7 billion and the Group realized one of the market’s best operating margins. The CMA CGM Group has had a continued growth and innovates to offer its clients new maritime, land and logistics solutions. The Group pursues its maritime development strategy by expanding its commercial network, by reinforcing its Reefer containers fleet, and by optimizing its maritime lines. The CMA CGM Group develops in the meantime a complementary offer to maritime transport. It has recently announced that it had obtained the concession of the Kingston Container Terminal in Jamaica, in order to turn it into its regional transshipment hub, that it had acquired LCL Logistix, an Indian logistics leading company, and that it would open new logistics platforms similar to the one to be developed in Cuba.

The CMA CGM KERGUELEN’s godmother, Mrs Catherine Hayot, closed the ceremony by launching the bottle of champagne that broke on the vessel’s hull and by stating the traditional sentence:
“I hereby christen this vessel CMA CGM KERGUELEN. God bless her and all those onboard.”