The world’s third largest shipping line CMA CGM has announced that the Georg Forster, the group’s largest vessel, has been christened in Hamburg, Germany.
The christening took place in the presence of Jacques R. Saadé, Chairman and CEO of the CMA CGM Group, and Mrs Christine Kuehne, the vessel’s godmother, as well as many institutional and political representatives, partners and clients of the French liner.
The ship is 398 metres in length with an 18,000 TEU capacity, making it the group’s largest vessel.
The Georg Forster is the second of six vessels of the same size that will enter the fleet in 2015 and join the 460 vessels of the group.
In 2014, its carried volumes increased by 8.1%, up to 12.2 million TEU and its revenue rose by 5.3%, up to US$16.7 billion.
Germany is a strategic market for CMA CGM, which has called at the country for 32 years and has been strengthening its presence there continually. In 2014, the group’s vessels called at German ports more than 1,500 times – including 1,100 calls in Hamburg – which represents more than four calls per day in a German port.
CMA CGM is to continue to develop its presence in Germany, having recently finalised the acquisition of German sea carrier OPDR on July 1, 2015.
The CMA CGM Georg Forster’s godmother, Mrs Christine Kuehne, closed the ceremony by launching the bottle of champagne that broke on the vessel’s hull and by stating the traditional sentence: “I hereby christen this vessel CMA CGM Georg Forster. God bless her and all those onboard.”
