CMA CGM has selected Wärtsilä to supply engines for 12 new 18,000 TEU container ships under construction at Jiangnan Shipyard in China.
Wärtsilä will provide a total of 36 Wärtsilä 34DF dual-fuel engines for the newbuildings. The vessels will operate on LNG.
The engine order for all 12 ships was booked during the first quarter of 2026. Equipment deliveries to the shipyard are scheduled to begin in 2027.
Wärtsilä to supply 36 dual-fuel engines
Each of the 12 container ships will receive three Wärtsilä 34DF engines. Wärtsilä will deliver the engines through its joint venture company CWEC (Shanghai).
CMA CGM already operates more than 160 Wärtsilä 34DF engines across its fleet. The latest order therefore expands the carrier’s existing use of the engine platform.
“We have had very positive experience with this engine. Its combination of high reliability and low emission levels aligns fully with our long-term ambition to reduce our environmental footprint,” said Xavier Leclercq, Vice-President, Newbuilding, CMA CGM.
The dual-fuel engines can operate on LNG and are designed to maintain efficiency across different load profiles.
Order includes seals and bearings
In addition to the engines, Wärtsilä will supply seals and bearings for the 12 new vessels.
The package includes the company’s Airguard seal system, as well as stern tube and line shaft bearings.
Wärtsilä booked the seals and bearings order for the first four vessels in the first quarter of 2026. Orders covering the remaining eight ships followed in the second quarter.
“Customers are seeking solutions that deliver high fuel efficiency and reduced emissions with alternative fuels such as LNG,” said Stefan Nysjö, Vice President, Power Supply, Wärtsilä Marine.
The 12-vessel programme further expands CMA CGM’s LNG-powered containership fleet while adding a significant tranche of 18,000 TEU capacity to its newbuilding pipeline.
