CMA CGM takes delivery of 20,600 TEU boxship from HHI-Phil

Built in the Philippines by HHI-Phil, the CMA CGM Antoine De Saint Exupery is the first of a trio of ULCVs

JANUARY 27, 2018 — France’s CMA CGM Group recently took delivery of the 20,600 TEU CMA CGM Antoine De Saint Exupery, the first of three mammoth containerships being built in the Philippines.

As the new flagship of CMA CGM’s fleet, the CMA CGM Antoine De Saint Exupery is the biggest containership under the French flag and one of the largest ever built. The ship has a length of 400 meters, beam of 59 meters, and depth of 33 meters. One of the distinct things about the new ship is that it is bears the group’s new livery, which, the company says, reflects its dynamism.

CMA CGM signed a contract in April 2015 for the trio of Ultra Large Container Vessels (ULCVs) with Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction – Philippines (HHIC-Phil Inc.). The ship was built under the technical supervision of classification society Bureau Veritas at HHIC-Phil Inc.’s 326-hectacre facility in Subic Bay. The CMA CGM Antoine De Saint Exupery was launched in August 2017.

To improve the boxship’s environmental performance and efficiency, the CMA CGM Antoine De Saint Exupery is fitted with a Becker Twisted Fin. The Becker Twisted Rudder improves the propeller’s performance, helping to reduce energy consumption and CO₂ emissions by 4%.

The ship is named for Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, a pioneering aviator of the Aéropostale, writer, journalist and poet. He won several of France’s highest literary awards and the U.S. National Book Award. He joined the French Air Force at the outbreak of World War II, and later, the Free French Air Force.

On February 6, CMA CGM Antoine De Saint Exupery will enter into service on the FAL 1 service (French Asia Line 1), which connects Asia to Northern Europe. This line offers a weekly service to 16 ports of call for a duration of 84 days.

HHIC-Phil marks the occasion
HHIC-Phil Inc. marked the delivery of the CMA CGM Antoine De Saint Exupery on January 25, with a Completion Ceremony at its Subic facility. The historic event was witnessed by former president and incumbent Pampanga 2nd District Representative Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, SBMA chairperson Atty. Wilma Eisma on behalf of President of Philippines, Senator Richard Gordon, Zambales Governor Amor Deloso, Pampanga Governor Lilia Pineda, Zambales 1st Disttrict Representative Jeffrey Khonghun, local government unit executives and senior officials from the leading banking institutions.

The company has invested $2.3 billion in the Philippines. Since it delivered its first ship in 2009, HHIC-Phil Inc. has exported a total of 113 ocean-going merchant ships worth more than $6 billion, making the Philippines one of the top five shipbuilding countries in the world.

HHIC-Phil Inc. is currently building a number of commercial ships of high grade specifications such as liquefied petroleum gas carriers and oil crude tankers besides ULCS. These newbuilding projects are expected to be completed and delivered the end of 2019.