CMA CGM has launched a five-year development plan in India focused on shipbuilding, domestic logistics and innovation, in line with New Delhi’s ambition to consolidate its position as a global maritime power. The strategy, unveiled during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the company’s Marseille headquarters, is based on five key areas: expansion of the fleet under the Indian flag, partnerships with local shipyards, infrastructure investment, industrial development and technological research.
The company has already registered its first vessels under the Indian flag, the CC Vitoria and the CC Manaus, and has established a new maritime entity in the Gujarat-based Gift City, becoming the first global container shipping company to adopt this registration model.
A central element of the plan involves negotiations with Indian shipyards, particularly Cochin Shipyard, for the construction of LNG-powered container vessels. CMA CGM has invested more than 18 billion dollars in a programme of 131 dual-fuel ships due to enter service by 2028, and building them in India would help reduce costs and diversify production bases. Maersk and MSC have also initiated discussions with Indian shipyards, confirming the growing interest of major global shipping lines in India as a hub for shipbuilding and maintenance.
In parallel, the French group has announced a 200 million dollar expansion of the Nhava Sheva Freeport terminal and is taking part in the development of the new Vadhavan Port, set to become one of the country’s largest. The company is also exploring ship recycling activities in Alang and sourcing containers and green steel from Indian manufacturers, consistent with its sustainability strategy.
These investments are aligned with the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor, launched at the 2023 G20 summit in New Delhi, which aims to create a network of rail and maritime links connecting Asia, the Gulf and Europe. The corridor could handle up to three million TEU per year and represents a strategic alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
The Indian government has approved a 69,725 crore rupee plan (around 8.3 billion dollars) to revitalise the national shipbuilding sector, with the goal of placing India among the world’s top ten shipbuilding nations by 2030 and the top five by 2047. Despite holding a current global market share of just 0.07%, New Delhi aims to attract international partnerships through a new 25,000 crore rupee maritime development fund.
