Finance
CMA CGM to put 10 new ships under French flag after scrutiny in home country
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on November 4, 2025
Global Banking and Finance Review
Company
Global Banking and Finance Review is an online platform offering news, analysis, and opinion on the latest trends, developments, and innovations in the banking and finance industry worldwide. The platform covers a diverse range of topics, including banking, insurance, investment, wealth management, fintech, and regulatory issues. The website publishes news, press releases, opinion and advertorials on various financial organizations, products and services which are commissioned from various Companies, Organizations, PR agencies, Bloggers etc. These commissioned articles are commercial in nature. This is not to be considered as financial advice and should be considered only for information purposes. It does not reflect the views or opinion of our website and is not to be considered an endorsement or a recommendation. We cannot guarantee the accuracy or applicability of any information provided with respect to your individual or personal circumstances. Please seek Professional advice from a qualified professional before making any financial decisions. We link to various third-party websites, affiliate sales networks, and to our advertising partners websites. When you view or click on certain links available on our articles, our partners may compensate us for displaying the content to you or make a purchase or fill a form. This will not incur any additional charges to you. To make things simpler for you to identity or distinguish advertised or sponsored articles or links, you may consider all articles or links hosted on our site as a commercial article placement. We will not be responsible for any loss you may suffer as a result of any omission or inaccuracy on the website.
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on November 4, 2025
PARIS (Reuters) -CMA CGM will register 10 container vessels to be delivered in the next three years under the French flag, adding more seafarers from its home country after facing calls to contribute more to France's debt-stricken economy.
CMA CGM, the world's third-largest container shipping line, will recruit 135 French seafarers at an additional cost of 15 million to 17 million euros ($17.49 million-$19.83 million) per year compared with foreign flag registrations, it said on Tuesday.
While a small investment compared with the $2 billion construction cost of the ships, which are giant 24,000-container models powered by liquefied natural gas and to be built in China, CMA CGM said its use of the French flag would help sustain the country's shipping industry.
The 10 future vessels will be named after French landmarks, with the first, the CMA CGM Notre Dame, due to be delivered in mid-2026.
"Some people have called us out for our foreign investments, notably in the United States," Chairman and CEO Rodolphe Saade said in an interview published in French shipping media Le Marin. "But we have not forgotten France, far from it."
CMA CGM committed in March to investing $20 billion over four years in the U.S., with plans including an increased use of the U.S. flag.
The U.S. investment pledge added to political scrutiny of CMA CGM in France in the midst of trade tensions with Washington and as some politicians seek greater contributions from large companies to help resolve a French budget crisis.
CMA CGM has criticised calls to scrap a so-called tonnage tax regime on shipping firms, generally more favourable than corporate tax, saying such a change could penalise it against its main competitors that are based in countries where the tonnage tax is also applied.
($1 = 0.8575 euros)
(Reporting by Gus Trompiz; Editing by Aidan Lewis)