French container shipping group CMA CGM has taken delivery of a second 13,800TEU vessel for its FAL 5 (French Asia Line) Asia-Europe service.
The 'CMA CGM Amerigo Vespucci', which is one of a series of eight 13,800TEU vessels that the group is counting on to reduce its unit slot costs between Asia and northern Europe, was delivered by South Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding on July 22.
It comes into service more than eight months after the first vessel in the series, the 'CMA CGM Christophe Colomb', which was delivered last November as the group struggled to find a solution to its debt crisis.
CMA CGM has indicated that three other 13,800TEU vessels will follow it but that delivery has been put back from 2011 to 2012.
Group executive officer Rodolphe Saade said recently that the group had not yet concluded definitive agreements with its shipbuilders but had been able to take delivery of a number of newbuildings thanks to agreements reached with unnamed "partner" banks.
Final agreement with the shipyards would only come when the group had reached agreement on restructuring its more than US$5 billion debt.
He said that negotiations with the yards were well advanced but added that "the negotiations… depend on the restructuring plan".
The group is presenting the 13,000TEU vessels as examples of its "greenship concept".
They are equipped with engines with electronic fuel injection, which the group says allows them to vary fuel consumption from 300 tonnes per day at 25 knots to 50 tonnes per day at 13 knots, with corresponding reductions in carbon emissions.
They have double-hulled fuel tanks and are equipped with the fast oil recovery system patented by France's JLMD.
They also have pre-swirl stators and twisted leading edge rudders that improve hydrodynamic performance to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 2-4 percent.
Their other distinguishing characteristic is the forward positioning of their superstructures which the groups says enables them to make optimum use of space, as well as giving better visibility from the bridge.
A second superstructure positioned towards the stern accommodates exhaust funnels and other technical installations.
Andrew Spurrier
