BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 23. TotalEnergies and CMA CGM have announced a new 50/50 joint venture to develop and operate a liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering supply chain in the Port of Rotterdam, Trend reports.
The move strengthens the companies’ shared commitment to accelerating the energy transition in maritime transport.
Under the agreement, a new 20,000-cubic-meter LNG bunker vessel will be deployed in Rotterdam by the end of 2028. The vessel will be jointly operated and integrated with TotalEnergies’ existing LNG infrastructure in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) region, where the 18,600 m³ Gas Agility has been in service since 2020. The new joint venture aims to offer comprehensive LNG logistics services, from reload access at the Gate terminal to final delivery to vessels—serving not only CMA CGM’s dual-fuel fleet but also other shipping operators.
“This strategic partnership not only strengthens our position in LNG bunkering but also reflects our shared ambition to support decarbonization in shipping,” said Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies.
As part of a long-term supply commitment, TotalEnergies will deliver up to 360,000 tons of LNG annually to CMA CGM from 2028 through 2040. The agreement supports CMA CGM’s goal of reaching net-zero carbon by 2050, with its LNG-powered fleet expected to reach 123 vessels by 2029.
“This is a concrete step to scale up alternative fuels and accelerate the decarbonization of global trade,” said Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO of CMA CGM. “For the first time, a shipping company and an energy provider will jointly operate an LNG bunkering vessel.”
The partnership builds on a longstanding collaboration between the two French companies. Since 2017, TotalEnergies has supplied LNG to CMA CGM through agreements covering both the ports of Rotterdam and Marseille Fos, and has carried out a series of landmark LNG bunkering operations in Europe.
The formation of the joint venture is subject to regulatory approvals.