CMA CGM Group said that the CMA CGM Marco Polo, the world’s largest containership, began its first voyage on Wednesday, November 7, in Ningbo, China. The ship is a 16,000 TEU vessel, owned by CMA CGM, sailing under the UK flag. Built by DSME (Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering) in South Korea, the ship displays exceptional dimensions at 396 x 54m, with a draft of 16m. CMA CGM Marco Polo is the first of a series of three 16,000 TEU vessels, will to be named after great explorers. The delivery of the two next vessels is expected in 2013.
Operated on the emblematic line of the Group, the French Asia Line (FAL 1), the CMA CGM Marco Polo will – starting November 7 and ending January 23 – call at: Ningbo, Shanghai, Xiamen, Hong Kong, Chiwan, Yantian, Port Kelang, Tanger, Southampton, Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Rotterdam , Zeebrugge, Le Havre, Malta, Khor Al Fakkan, Jebel Ali and Ningbo.
FAL1 is part of a global network of eight CMA CGM services connecting Asia to Europe Atlantic, the most thorough offer on the market, and which is based on 29 vessels of 11,400 to 16,000 TEUs.
“It is with great pride that the CMA CGM Group launches this new vessel, which is the largest in the world,” said Nicolas Sartini, CMA CGM Group Senior Vice President Asia-Europe Lines. “This launching reinforces the Group’s strategy, which began 20 years ago, with the opening of its own offices in China, and continues today with 34 services going from China to Europe, to North and South America, to Australia and Africa, i.e. one departure every 5 hours.”
The CGM Marco Polo is equipped with the latest cutting-edge environmental technology. It has an electronically controlled engine allowing for significantly reduced consumption of fuel (-3 percent, on average) and of lube oil (-25 percent). A twisted leading edge rudder improves the hydrodynamics of the vessel by optimizing water flow and significantly reducing energy expenditure as well as CO2 emissions. A pre-swirl stator facilitates the alignment of water flow upstream from the propeller in order to improve productivity. These innovative features make it possible to reduce by between two and four per cent the consumption of energy and atmospheric emissions.
The CGM Marco Polo also features an exhaust gas bypass system which improves its energy efficiency, reducing fuel consumption by 1.5 percent at low speeds. An optimized hull design also results in significantly improved propulsion through the water, while a ballast water treatment system preserves environmental biodiversity by preventing the release of chemicals into the sea.
BV has carried out extensive calculations of the dynamic structural response of the vessel at sea, taking into account whipping and springing, resulting in the granting of its WhiSP2 notation.
CMA CGM Marco Polo Main Particulars
Owner CMA CGM
Year of Construction 2012
Delivery date November 2012
Vessel type Cellular
Capacity 16,020 TEU
Service French Asia Line (FAL)
Operator CMA CGM
Constructor DSME
Length 396m
Width 53.6m
Draft 16m
Reefer plugs 1,200 plugs
Engine Wärtsilä 14RT Flex 96
Classification Bureau Veritas
(As published in the December 2012 edition of Maritime Reporter - www.marinelink.com)