FERRY ORDER BOOK Bigger, better and greener Orders and deliveries keep coming from Europe and China, but a surprise decision causes shockwaves in New Zealand. Justin Merrigan reports The CMA CGM group has wasted little time in ordering new tonnage for La Méridionale, the French ferry company it acquired in May 2023. It has contracted China’s CMI Jingling Weihai to build two luxurious and environmentally friendly vessels, which are slated for delivery in the first quarter of 2027 and will modernise services between Marseilles and Corsica. Ordered for a total contract price of close to €400 million ($436 million), the 180-metre-long ships will have a 30.8-metre-wide beam and each one will accommodate 1,000 passengers across 264 cabins in seven categories, including 21 luxury cabins with balconies. The vehicle decks will have space for 2,000 metres of freight. The detailed design and approval will be completed by Deltamarin. Each vessel will primarily use LNG to power two 10.5-megawatt electric propulsion motors and will be ready to operate on alternative fuels such as biogas and synthetic methane when they become available. They will also use a 13-megawatt-hour battery pack to ensure zero emissions in port, which will be especially useful in Corsica where shore power is unavailable. Other technological choices such as five-blade propellers, Photo: La Méridionale La Méridionale’s two new ro-pax ferries will carry 1,000 passengers and will operate primarily on LNG fuel 96
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