Port Réunion to Become Strategic Maritime Hub

Visit of the President of the French Republic François Hollande to the Reunion Island Rodolphe Saadé intends to turn Port Réunion into CMA CGM Group strategic maritime hub in the Indian Ocean; New sourcing and export opportunities for the Reunion Island economic players; new strategic hub for CMA CGM at the crossroads between Europe, Asia and Africa

The CMA CGM Group announced Rodolphe Saadé, Vice-Chairman, was with President Hollande to Reunion Island to lay the cornerstone for the future Port of Reunion Island.

During the ceremony, Rodolphe Saadé signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at making Port Réunion the CMA CGM Group maritime hub in the Indian Ocean within 12 to 18 months. By choosing Port Réunion for its new hub, CMA CGM gives the port a new dimension, not only as a strategic center, where maritime lines from Europe, Africa and Asia intersect, but also as a key element in the CMA CGM Group’s development in Africa, where it already has a strong presence.

Cargo from all over the world will be unloaded on the island, before being loaded towards new destinations. This agreement will significantly increase the activity of the Port. By committing to preset volume levels with incremental increases over time, the CMA CGM Group will create - directly and indirectly - new jobs.

Already present on the Reunion Island through CGM, the CMA CGM Group is one of the island’s premier shipping companies, and enables Reunion Island to import everything it does not produce, and local industries to export their production – such as rum, seafood, sugar – all over the world. With this new hub, the island will benefit from broader world-wide supply opportunities that will renew its shipping focus.

Rodolphe Saadé, the CMA CGM Group Vice-Chairman, commented, “the Memorandum of Understanding signed today in the presence of the President of the French Republic François Hollande will play an active part in the economic growth of the Reunion Island, and will reinforce its commercial ties not only with the surrounding islands, but also with Europe, Africa and Asia. Reunion Island is located at the maritime crossroads. This will be truer than ever tomorrow with the CMA CGM project”.