CMA CGM is considering an order for 10 feeder boxships that may cost the outfit more than $620m.
According to shipbuilding sources, the French liner giant is looking to build a series of ice-class 1A, 2,000-teu newbuildings to be delivered in 2024.
"If CMA CGM is to build these ice-class notation containerships, they probably will be the most expensive feeder vessels of this size to be ordered," a shipbuilding broker said.
Shipbuilding sources said CMA CGM has approached shipyards in China and South Korea. They added that the shipbuilders are quoting between $62m and $65m each for the vessels.
Some market sources said CMA CGM has already inked a letter of intent with Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) for the newbuildings at $62m apiece.
Officials at HMD declined to comment on the shipyard's newbuilding activities, citing contract confidentiality, while CMA CGM was not immediately available for comment.
These newbuildings are more expensive as their specifications are said to be "extremely high".
Shipbuilding sources said the ships will cost twice the price of a conventionally-fuelled vessel, which they suggest is around $33m.
The company is said to be opting for the newbuildings to be powered by LNG fuel and fitted with high-pressure MEGI engines.
It has also requested ice-class 1A vessels and the ships' fuel tanks are to be mounted on the deck.
"CMA CGM wants to load 45-foot containers on the vessels instead of the standard 40-foot or 20-foot containers," a shipbuilding source said. "It also wants the accommodation unit to be erected at the front of the ship so as to have better visibility … It is seeking tailor-made vessels."
One shipbuilding source suggested the feeder containership newbuildings could be used on the Arctic shipping routes.
However, shipping observers do not think the liner giant would engage in these services as CMA CGM chairman and chief executive Rodolphe Saade previously pledged that the company would not be using Russia's Northern Sea Route to ship goods between Europe and Asia due to environmental concerns.
"CMA CGM is likely to use the newbuildings in the Baltic Sea," one shipping source said.
The French liner giant operates a series of ice-class, LNG-powered, 1,380-teu containerships in the Baltic Sea through intra-European shortsea specialist Containerships. CMA CGM took over the Finnish boxship company three years ago.
