NEW DELHI: Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) on Wednesday signed a $360 million shipbuilding contract with French shipping and logistics giant CMA CGM to manufacture six LNG-powered container ships, each with a 1,700 TEU capacity.
The deal marks the first order for “Made in India” container ships awarded to an Indian shipyard. The vessels will be built at CSL’s existing facility in Kerala, using designs provided by South Korea.
Cochin Shipyard chairman and managing director Jose V. J. said the first ship under the contract will be delivered in 36 months, with subsequent ships arriving at six-month intervals, two vessels per year.
“This is first set of container ship orders placed with an Indian shipyard. We would look at more shipbuilding in India once CSL is in a position to build bigger ships than the 1,700 TEU container ships made now,” said Rodolphe Saade, chairman and chief executive, CMA CGM.
Saade added that beyond shipbuilding, the company is exploring opportunities across India, including constructing new port terminals, expanding logistics operations, and building larger vessels.
“There is room for a third country after China and Korea to strengthen their presence in the maritime segment. And India is best suited to take up that place,” Saade said.
“This is fully aligned with Prime Minister Modi’s Maritime Vision 2047 to position India as a major maritime nation. As corridors such as India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) develop, connecting India to the Middle East and Europe, CMA CGM stands ready to contribute to this new phase of global trade,” Saade said.
CMA CGM is also committed to human capital development in India. Through CMA SHIPS, the group has recruited 1,000 Indian seafarers, with plans to onboard 1,500 by the end of 2026, further strengthening its role in the global maritime workforce.
Building on this strategic milestone, CMA CGM is actively exploring partnerships with key stakeholders in India to boost container manufacturing, promote sustainable ship recycling, and support domestic container shipping development.
