This comes after CMA CGM's major foray into India with its Cochin Shipyard deal for the production of six LNG-fuelled container ships, among other major moves.

This comes after CMA CGM's major foray into India with its Cochin Shipyard deal for the production of six LNG-fuelled container ships, among other major moves.

This comes after CMA CGM's major foray into India with its Cochin Shipyard deal for the production of six LNG-fuelled container ships, among other major moves.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met with Rodolphe Saadé, the Chairman and CEO of French shipping major CMA CGM to discuss maritime connectivity, global shipping trends, and emerging opportunities in India’s rapidly growing maritime sector. 

The "fruitful discussion" came as a part of the PM's visit to Paris on Wednesday (local time) for the final phase of his visit to France, following his appearance at the G7 Summit in Evian, eastern France.

"Discussed avenues for greater collaboration in shipbuilding, container manufacturing, digital maritime innovation, logistics, and skill development," PM Modi wrote in an X post about the meeting with Saadé.

On the topic of building more ships in India, the CMA CGM chief highlighted the company's long-term collaboration with India over three decades as the key reason for its contributions towards the Make in India push in the maritime sector.

"We have been serving (the Indian) market for many years and we are looking forward to expanding further," he said after the meeting, pointing out the shipping major's contract with Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) as one of the latest examples of this collaboration.

CMA CGM's latest forays into India

Earlier this year, the shipping major signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CSL for the production of six LNG-fuelled container ships.

Boasting a capacity of 1,700 TEUs each, the six LNG-fuelled vessels are said to be the first of their kind commissioned from an Indian shipyard by a major company, and will be delivered between 2029 and 2031.

ALSO READ | Cochin Shipyard, CMA CGM sign landmark MoU for 6 LNG-fuelled container ships: All you need to know

Following a series of meetings, which included technical support from Korean shipbuilder HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, and the finalisation of techno-commercial terms, the formal MoU was signed on April 18.

Another important aspect of this deal is the fact that all six of these vessels will carry the Indian flag, continuing CMA CGM's commitment towards the country's maritime sector after it reflagged its fifth vessel, the CMACGM Vila Do Conde (IMO: 9434929) with the Indian tricolour just days later.

The French maritime firm has also CMA CGM has also committed to India's maritime sector in other ways, especially with plans to recruit up to 1,500 Indian seafarers by the end of 2026, and the launch of a dedicated Research & Development (R&D) hub in India, in partnership with Capgemini.

This CMA CGM hub plays an important role in developing next-generation digital and AI-enabled solutions that support its worldwide operations.

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