CMA CGM

History

The history of CMA CGM can be traced back to the middle of the 19th century, when two major French shipping lines were created, respectively Messageries Maritimes (MM) in 1851 and Compagnie Générale Maritime (CGM) in 1855, soon renamed Compagnie Générale Transatlantique in 1861. Both companies were created partly with the backing of the French State, through the award of mail contracts to various destinations, French colonies and overseas territories as well as foreign countries. After the two World Wars, the two companies became "State owned corporations of the competitive sector" (Entreprise publique du secteur concurrentiel), i.e., companies that, while owned by the State, were run as private for-profit businesses operating in competitive markets. The French government, under President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing and Prime Minister Jacques Chirac, progressively merged the two companies between 1974 and 1977 to form Compagnie Générale Maritime, which was still owned by the French government and still run as a competitive business, although sometimes subject to political pressure, for instance on the selection of shipyards to build new ships.

Compagnie Générale Maritime (CGM) operated as such from 1974 to 1996 when it was privatized by the French state under President Chirac and Prime Minister Alain Juppé. During these 22 years it operated freight and container liner services in various global trade lanes, as well as a fleet of dry bulk ships, and a few large oil tankers and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) tankers, with headquarters located in Paris' western suburbs, first in Paris-La Defense, then in close by Suresnes.

The CGM liner services, mostly containerized but also operating a significant fleet of "Con-Ro" vessels able to load roll-on/roll-off cargoes, were re-structured from the two parent companies' main trade lanes, i.e. Western trade lanes (Americas) for Compagnie Générale Transatlantique (CGT) and Eastern trade lanes (Asia, East Africa, Pacific, plus Eastern South America) for Messageries Maritimes (MM). After the merger and re-structure, CGM's liner services were managed in four distinct Trade Divisions, North America & Far East (AMNEO, for Amérique du Nord & Extrême Orient) which also managed the bulk and tanker fleets, South America & Caribbean (AMLAT), Pacific & Indian Ocean (PACOI) and Short Sea Trades (Cabotage).

Separately, Jacques Saadé had created CMA in 1978 as an intra-Mediterranean liner service operator, based in Marseille. In 1996, CGM was privatized and sold to Compagnie Maritime d'Affrètement (CMA) to form CMA CGM.

In 1998 the combined company purchased Australian National Line.

In September 2005, CMA CGM acquired its French rival Delmas based in Le Havre from the Bolloré Group for €600 million. The acquisition was completed in early January 5, 2006. The resulting corporation became the third largest container company in the world behind the Danish Maersk and the Swiss Mediterranean Shipping Company

In May 2007, a consortium represented by CMA CGM completed its acquisition of Compagnie Marocaine de Navigation (Comanav) for a sum of €200 million.

In July 2007, CMA CGM acquired Cheng Lie Navigation Corp. (CNC Line), Intra-Asia container line based in Taiwan.

In 2009, CMA CGM acquired the Port of Latakia in Syria under a consortium comprising CMA CGM/Terminal Link and Souria Holding, a Syrian limited liability company.

In 2014, CMA CGM signs the Ocean Three agreements. The group strengthens its offer by signing major agreements on the biggest worldwide maritime trades with CSCL and UASC.

In April 2015, the group acquired a strategic stake in LCL Logistix, a logistics firm in India, via its subsidiary CMA CGM LOG.

In December 2015, CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin called at the Port of Los Angeles and thus became the largest vessel ever to call the United States. The container-ship, 1,300 ft long and 177 ft wide, was inaugurated in Port of Long Beach on February 19.

In July 2016 CMA CGM finalized its acquisition of Singapore-based NOL (Neptune Orient Lines) and its container line APL (American President Lines) after an all-cash offer of US$2.4 billion. The takeover is CMA CGM's largest acquisition and the purchase added 12 percent market share to the CMA CGM group. The Singapore Exchange Securities Trading suspended trading of NOL shares at the end of the offer.

In June 2017, CMA CGM acquire Mercosul Line, a Brazilian shipping company specialized in multimodal door-to-door container transportation and logistics.

In October 2018, CMA CGM finalized the acquisition of Finland-based container-transportation and logistics company Containerships.

In April 2019, CMA CGM completed its public tender offer to acquire CEVA Logistics. With this acquisition, the CMA CGM Group becomes 110,000 people strong with more than $30.3 billion in revenue. CEVA operational center is transferred in Marseille, France, where is located the Head Office of the CMA CGM Group.

In September 2019, the world's first LNG-powered container ship is launched.

In March 2020, Rodolphe Saadé announced that CMA CGM was offering 200,000 FFP2 protective masks to France Health Agency to fight against the COVID-19 virus.

In February 2021, CMA CGM Group completes its logistics offer by creating a new division dedicated to air freight: CMA CGM Air Cargo. With its four Airbus A330-200F cargo aircraft, this airfreight division links Europe to North America. The first flight from Liège to Chicago marks the debut of commercial operations.

In September 2021, CMA CGM announced a partnership with fellow Breton-based operator Brittany Ferries. The partnership involves a €25 million investment, plus a CMA CGM representative joining Brittany Ferries' supervisory board.

In May 2022, CMA CGM signed a strategic partnership with Air France-KLM to develop their air cargo capacities together. However, this partnership, implemented in April 2023, was terminated by mutual agreement in January 2024 without change in the 9% stake acquired by CMA CGM in the Franco-Dutch airline group.

In January 2024, CMA CGM made a takeover offer for Wincanton plc. In March 2024 CMA CGM withdrew the offer.

In January 2026, CMA CGM agreed to form a $10 billion joint venture with Stonepeak called United Ports. Upon completion, CMA CGM will own 75% of the venture and will seek to accelerate investments bade in US based ports.

Ownership

CMA CGM is 73% owned by Rodolphe Saadé and his family through Merit France SAS. The Turkish family-owned company Yildirim Holding has a 24% stake and French public sector investment bank Bpifrance has a 3% holding.

Subsidiaries

Maritime activities

• Australian National Line (ANL) (specializes in Australia, New Zealand, Oceania and Asia container transportation)
• Compagnie Marocaine de Navigation (Comanav) (passenger ferry and container services from Morocco to Europe)
• Cheng Lie Navigation Corp. (CNC Line) (specializes in Intra-Asia container transportation)
• Mercosul Line (specializes on the East Coast of South America container transportation)
• Containerships (specializes in Intra-European container transportation)
• American President Lines (APL) (Singapore-based container line)

Terminal activities

• CMA Terminals Holding
• Terminal Link - container terminals developer and operator, ranked N°12 worldwide

Intermodal activities and logistics

• Progeco (container: sales, leasing & repairing)
• CMA CGM Logistics
• Rail Link (multimodal rail transport)
• River Shuttle Containers (Rhône – Saône axis containerised river transportation)
• Kingston Freeport Terminal LTD (Jamaican Transhipment Hub)

Support activities

• CMA Ships (a wholly owned subsidiary managing all fleet-related operations)

Air services

• CMA CGM Air Cargo, active since February 2021, operates a total of 4 Airbus A330-200Fs and 2 Boeing 777Fs.

CMA Média

• La Provence (news media)
• Corse-Matin (news media)
• La Tribune (news media)
• RMC BFM (Radio, television, magazines)
• Brut (digital media)

Transportation of Passengers

• La Méridionale (Operates four ferries (Pelagos, Kalliste, Piana, and Girolata) with weekly sailings to Corsica and crossings between Marseille and Morocco.)
• Brittany Ferries: (The group also holds an equity stake in this entity.)

Joint ventures

• CMA Systems, a business entity in partnership with IBM involving development of new technologies like the cloud computing.
• Terminal Link, a joint venture between CMA CGM (51%) and China Merchants Port (49%).
• 5-year partnership with startup Mistral AI beginning in 2025 and focusing on artificial intelligence initiatives for customer service in shipping and logistics and factchecking for CMA CGM's media businesses. As part of the deal, CMA CGM will invest up to €100 million with Mistral.

Fleet

In 2023, CMA CGM's fleet included:

• 593 vessels
• 4,500,000 container TEUs
• 600,000 reefer container TEUs

The fleet has 200 maritime services and calls at more than 420 ports in 160 countries. There are 521 commercial ports in the world at the moment.

Some emblematic group's vessels are:

• (16,020 TEUs) was christened in June 2013 by the French President François Hollande. At that time, this vessel sailing under the French flag was the world's biggest container ship.
• (16,020 TEUs)
• (16,020 TEUs)
• (18,000 TEUs)
• (18,000 TEUs)
• (18,000 TEUs)
• CMA CGM Georg Forster (18,000 TEUs)
• (18,000 TEUs)
• (18,000 TEUs)
• (20,800 TEUs)
• (23,112 TEUs); flagship and largest French-flagged container ship as of 2023

Air fleet

Main article: CMA CGM Air Cargo#Fleet

Sponsoring

Since 2022, CMA CGM is the main sponsor of Olympique Marseille, the major football club of the city where the company is headquartered.

In July 2025, CMA CGM became the co-title sponsor of the Decathlon cycling team. The team will compete as Decathlon–CMA CGM from 1 January 2026.

Accidents and incidents

On April 4, 2008, pirates seized the CMA CGM luxury cruise ship Le Ponant off the coast of Somalia.

CMA CGM and its affiliates have been implicated in various arms-shipping incidents.

• November 2009: South Africa seized arms traveling from North Korea by way of China. The seizure amounted to two containers filled with tank parts and other military equipment from North Korea, which included "gun sights, tracks and other spare parts for T-54 and T-55 tanks and other war material valued at an estimated $750,000." The military equipment was concealed in containers lined with sacks of rice and shipping documents identified the cargo as spare parts for a "bulldozer". According to the report, the containers were originally loaded in Dalian, China onto CMA CGM Musca, a UK-flagged container ship. The shipment was reportedly destined for Pointe-Noire in the Republic of Congo.
• July 2009: The United Arab Emirates seized a shipment of weapons from North Korea destined for Iran. The shipment was made in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1874, which bans all North Korean Arms exports. The weapons, which included RPGs, detonators, ammunition, and rocket propellant, were shipped by a Bahamian-flagged vessel of ANL Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of CMA CGM.
• October 2010: Nigerian authorities seized 13 shipping containers carrying illegal Iranian weaponry at Lagos' Apapa Port. The containers included 107 mm artillery rockets (Katyushas), explosives and rifle ammunition. The arms were to be shipped next to The Gambia, with the final destination of the cargo possibly the Gaza Strip. MV CMA CGM Everest originally picked up the containers from the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas. CMA CGM said it was the victim of a false cargo declaration, claiming the weapons were shipped in packages labeled as "glass wool and pallets of stone" and that the Iranian shipper "does not appear on any forbidden persons listing".
• March 2011: Israeli forces intercepted the vessel Victoria in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea, stating that it was carrying weapons by Iran via Syria. According to Israeli officials, the arms shipments included "roughly 2,500 mortar shells, nearly 75,000 bullets and six C-704 anti-ship missiles". Israel said the ultimate destination of the cargo was for the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. CMA CGM, which chartered the vessel, stated, "The ship's manifests do not show any cargo in contravention [of] international regulations, and we do not have any more information at this stage."

As a result of CMA CGM's involvement in Iranian weapons smuggling, US congressmen have called on CMA CGM to be investigated and urged the US Treasury Department to consider levying sanctions against the shipper. The company has since implemented tighter procedures for accepting shipments bound for Iran, including scanning all containers destined for the country. CMA CGM has also ceased exporting from Iranian ports since November 2011.

''CMA CGM Centaurus''

On 4 May 2017, the container ship CMA CGM Centaurus made heavy contact with the quay and two shore cranes while under pilotage during its arrival at Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates. The accident resulted in the collapse of a shore crane and 10 injuries to shore personnel.

''CMA CGM Washington''

On 20 January 2018, the container ship CMA CGM Washington was on-route to Los Angeles, US, from Xiamen, China, when it experienced heavy waves in the North Pacific Ocean. The crew discovered that three bays, 54, 58 and 18, collapsed, which led to the loss of 137 containers and damage of another 85.

''CMA CGM Norma''

On 24 December 2018, the container ship CMA CGM Norma was involved in a collision with the China-flagged general cargo ship Yusheng366 in the waters south of Hong Kong. All the crew from Yusheng366 were rescued as they abandoned ship before she sank, while CMA CGM Norma suffered minor damages.

''CMA CGM Rabelais''

On 6 April 2022, a fire broke out in a container on the ship's deck on the 6,552 TEU CMA CGM Rabelais. The vessel was en route to Nhava Sheva, India, after departing Singapore and was navigating the Malacca Straits, some 100 km north-west of Port Klang, when the fire was discovered at about noon, local time. A spokesperson for vessel owner Danaos Corporation, said the master had “immediately implemented firefighting protocols” and emphasised that "the fire is still burning, but it is under control.” One crew member was injured during the firefighting operations, when he slipped and fell, breaking some ribs.

''APL Vanda''

On 3 July 2022, the Singaporean-flagged container ship APL Vanda was on-route between Singapore and Suez as part of CMA CGM's Asia - North-Europe Fal 3 service, when it lost 55 loaded containers in the Indian Ocean whilst the vessel was facing heavy weather, just before entry to the Gulf of Aden according to CMA CGM. No injury was reported and all crew members were safe. The ship, which left Singapore on June 26, stopped on July 9 in Djibouti "to clear some damaged containers on deck before safely continuing its voyage."

''CMA CGM Symi''

On 25 November 2023, US defense officials reported that the ship was targeted in a suspected Iranian drone attack while in the Indian Ocean, en route from Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates to Port Klang, Malaysia. The ship has an Israeli owner and the incident happened a short time before the 2023 Gaza war ceasefire.

References

References

1. "2024 annual financial results". CMA CGM.
2. "Consolidated Financial Statements. Year ended December 31, 2021". CMA CGM.
3. CMA CGM Group – About us, “the Group employs 160,000 people worldwide, of which 6,000 in Marseille where its head office is located.” (2024)
4. "About Us". CMA CGM.
5. "Consolidated Financial Statements". CMA CGM.
6. (7 June 2023). "September 13, 1978 – September 13, 2022: 44 years of passion!". CMA CGM.
7. Nouvelle, L'Usine. (9 February 2017). "Rodolphe Saadé, nouveau directeur général de CMA CGM - L'Usine Aéro".
8. "CMA CGM Headquarters".
9. "Alphaliner TOP 100".
10. "BETTER WAYS, making supply chains more sustainable every day".
11. Renaud Lecade. (2005-07-19). "Touché-coulé chez les frères Saadé". [[Libération]].
12. [https://web.archive.org/web/20080704215144/http://www.anl.com.au/about/ About Us] [[Australian National Line]]
13. [https://seasnews.net/cma-cgm-completes-2005-acquisition-of-delmas-becoming-the-worlds-third-largest-ocean-carrier/ CMA CGM completes the acquisition of Delmas], Jan. 10, 2006, CMA CGM press release.
14. (2007-03-25). "CMA CGM consortium to buy Morocco's Comanav".
15. (2007-05-27). "CMA CGM completes takeover of Morocco's Comanav".
16. Staff, FreightWaves. (2009-02-10). "CMA CGM will operate Syrian port". FreightWaves.
17. "The CMA CGM BENJAMIN FRANKLIN has arrived at the Port of L.A.".
18. "The CMA CGM BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, the largest vessel ever to call the United States, will be inaugurated in Long Beach today".
19. "NOL to be delisted after France's CMA CGM crosses 90% ownership threshold".
20. (18 July 2016). "CMA CGM closes on NOL takeover offer".
21. Louppova, Julia. (2017-06-14). "CMA CGM acquires Mercosul from Maersk Line".
22. (2018-10-31). "CMA CGM Wraps Up Acquisition of Containerships".
23. Paris, Costas. (2019-02-12). "CMA CGM Pursues $1.65 Billion Deal for Ceva Logistics". Wall Street Journal.
24. Miller, John. (2019-01-28). "France's CMA CGM launches offer to buy rest of CEVA Logistics shares". Reuters.
25. en, CMA CGM. (November 14, 2019). "French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe inaugurates CEVA Logistics' new headquarters in Marseille".
26. "CMA CGM {{!}} World Premiere: Launching of the World's Largest LNG-Powered Containership and Future CMA CGM Group Flagship".
27. "The CMA CGM Group donates 100,000 FFP2 masks to the French Government to help tackle the Covid-19 emergency".
28. (2021-02-12). "CMA CGM officially launches air cargo division with four A330-200Fs".
29. "Air cargo: CMA CGM Air Cargo takes off on Europe-US trade lane".
30. "Brittany Ferries and CMA CGM form a partnership in passenger and freight transport. – Brittany Ferries".
31. (14 September 2021). "Brittany Ferries and CMA CGM to enter commercial partnership".
32. "CMA CGM | Brittany Ferries and CMA CGM form a partnership in passenger and freight transport".
33. The Stat Times, April 3, 2023 ''Air France-KLM, CMA CGM launch air cargo partnership''https://www.stattimes.com/air-cargo/air-france-klm-cma-cgm-launch-air-cargo-partnership-1348336?infinitescroll=1
34. The Load Star CMA CGM losses were said to be at heart of 'divorce' from AF-KLM https://theloadstar.com/cma-cgm-losses-said-to-be-at-heart-of-divorce-from-af-klm/
35. Air France-KLM capital shareholding structure as of December 2022 https://www.airfranceklm.com/en/finance/air-france-klm-capital/shareholding-structure
36. [https://www.ajot.com/news/ceva-logistics-a-subsidiary-of-cma-cgm-has-reached-an-agreement-with-the-board-of-directors-of-wincanton CEVA Logistics of CMA CGM, reached an agreement with the board of directors of Wincanton] ''American Journal of Transportation'' 19 January 2024
37. [https://www.joc.com/article/uk-based-wincanton-accepts-718-million-takeover-offer-ceva-logistics_20240119.html UK-based Wincanton accepts $718 million takeover offer from CEVA Logistics] ''[[Journal of Commerce]]'' 19 January 2024
38. [https://www.worldcargonews.com/news/2024/03/cma-cgm-withdraws-from-bidding-for-wincanton/ CMA CGM withdraws from bidding for Wincanton] ''WorldCargo News'' 7 March 2024
39. Dummett, Lauren Thomas and Ben. (2026-01-28). "Exclusive {{!}} Firms Strike Deal for $10 Billion Shipping-Ports Venture".
40. (November 14, 2017). "Robert Yildirim to retain 24% CMA CGM shareholding".
41. (May 8, 2023). "CMA CGM's unstoppable rise in transport and logistics".
42. (2020-12-31). "Consolidated Financial Statements".
43. "Terminal Link terminals".
44. (April 6, 2025). "Shipping giant CMA CGM and French AI startup target customer service in tie-up".
45. "CMA CGM Orders 22 New Boxships from China Shipbuilding".
46. Ajdin, Adis. (2021-11-24). "CMA CGM in for ten 2,000 teu ships at KSOE".
47. Chambers, Sam. (2021-09-17). "CMA CGM in for six 7,600 teu ships at Samsung Heavy".
48. (2022-09-22). "CMA CGM orders seven new biogas-powered vessels to serve French West Indies".
49. (2022-06-08). "CMA CGM confirms orders for six 8,000 TEU ships at Hyundai Samho".
50. Savvides, Nick. (2023-02-02). "CMA CGM books another dozen 13,000 teu methanol-powered ships".
51. "CSSC wins record order for 16 box ships for CMA CGM".
52. Ang (i_ang), Irene. (2023-02-17). "CMA CGM splashes $1bn on methanol-fuelled container ship sextet".
53. (29 June 2023). "CMA CGM finalises 10-ship haul at Yangzijiang".
54. Staff, LNG Prime. (2023-11-15). "CMA CGM switches methanol containership order to LNG fuel".
55. Ajdin, Adis. (2024-07-05). "Eastern Pacific seals 18,000 teu newbuild series".
56. Prevljak, Naida Hakirevic. (2025-09-03). "CMA CGM orders up to 10 LNG dual-fuel boxships in China".
57. Staff, LNG Prime. (2024-07-15). "CMA CGM orders 12 LNG-powered containerships in South Korea".
58. Chambers, Sam. (2025-01-23). "CMA CGM inks 2025's largest ship orders to date".
59. Ajdin, Adis. (2025-03-04). "CMA CGM spends $2.5bn on a dozen newbuilds at China's Jiangnan".
60. "CMA CGM Group signs a letter of intent for six new 1700 TEU Dual-Fuel LNG Containerships built in India".
61. "CMA CGM Group will be the new OM jersey sponsor {{!}} OM".
62. Magli, Dom. (23 July 2025). "CMA CGM becomes co-title sponsor of Decathlon cycling team".
63. Jor Lauria, Gordon Fairclough and Peter Wonacott. (26 February 2010). "Pretoria Seized North Korean Weapons". [[The Wall Street Journal]].
64. Edith Lederer. (25 February 2010). "South Africa reports NKorea sanctions violation". [[The Seattle Times]].
65. Peter Spiegel and Chip Cummins. (31 August 2009). "Cargo of North Korea Matériel Is Seized en Route to Iran". The Wall Street Journal.
66. Joby Warrick. (3 December 2009). "Arms smuggling heightens Iran fears". [[The Washington Post]].
67. Jon Gambrell. (30 October 2010). "Nigeria: Shipper confirms weapons came from Iran". [[The Boston Globe]].
68. (16 March 2011). "Israel unveils seized arms cache from cargo ship". Boston Herald.
69. Bruce Barnard. (15 March 2011). "Israeli Commandos Seize CMA CGM Ship in Arms Probe". [[The Journal of Commerce]].
70. Benjamin Weinthal and Johannes C. Bockenheimer. (30 May 2011). "French ship company faces US sanctions for 'Iran ties'". The Jerusalem Post.
71. "Regulations and procedures for shipments to Iran". CMA CGM.
72. (30 January 2012). "Iranian arms smugglers using European ship firms-study". [[Reuters]].
73. "Heavy contact made by container vessel CMA CGM Centaurus with quay and shore cranes".
74. (2018-12-26). "Cargo vessel sinks on collision with CMA CGM boxship".
75. (7 April 2022). "Crew quickly brings fire under control on CMA CGM-chartered container ship".
76. (8 April 2022). "Crew member injured in cargo blaze aboard CMA CGM Rabelais".
77. (18 July 2022). "CMA CGM's giant vessel loses containers in the Indian Ocean".
78. (21 July 2022). "Discharge of damaged boxes on APL Vanda under way at Djibouti".
79. (28 November 2023). "Second Israeli-owned ship attacked by Iran-backed forces as shadow war intensifies". TradeWinds.
80. (2023-11-25). "An Israeli-owned ship was targeted in suspected Iranian attack in Indian Ocean, US official tells AP".
81. (2023-11-25). "Israeli-owned ship hit in suspected Iran drone attack".