Spring 2016
56
AQUAVIVA
A NEW GENERATION
OF CONTAINERS
GROUP MAGA ZINE
N°56
SPRING 2016
souces.
Printed on paper manufactured using a minimum of 60% recycled fibre and 40% virgin pulp from certified
CMA CGM Marseille Head Office
4, quai d'Arenc 13235 Marseille cedex 02 France
Tel: +33 (0)4 88 91 90 00
www.cma-cgm.com
AROUND THE WORLD
THE EXPERTS
AQUAVIVA: A NEW GENERATION OF CONTAINERS
FOCUS
PANAMA CANAL EXPANSION
A positive upheaval in store for maritime trade!
TRAVEL
CARGO CRUISE
An authentic voyage
18
GROUP LIFE
CMA CGM: THE REEFERENCE
INNOVATION
ED I TO R I A L
C O N T EN T
Editorial and publication Director: Tanya Saadé Zeenny Editor: Marianne Lacroix Coordination: Olivia Simonetti
Graphic Design: CMA CGM Studio – Eric Zuber, Damien Boulanger, Margaux Esposito, Bastien Régis Printing
and distribution supervision: Christine Nunes, Marianne Zeenny Contributeurs: Alexandra Beaumont, Eric Legros, Alexis Michel, Patrice Mittard, Sylvain Ono Dit Biot, Emmanuel Pitron, Véronique Touze, Olivier Tretout Editing: Hervé Gallet, Paul Molga Photos crédits: CMA CGM, Shutterstock, Thierry Dosogne, Philip Plisson, Justine Michel, Golem Images et Corinne Vezzoni & Associés, Panama Canal Number of issues: 22,000 – quarterly
ISN : 1287-8863
CMA CGM
FA RID T.
SA LEM
CMA CGM Gr oup
Exec ut i ve O f f ic er.
On April 20th, our Group announced that it had signed
an operational agreement with COSCO Container Lines,
OOCL and Evergreen. Ocean Alliance is a ground-breaking
agreement pooling 360 vessels on 45 different services
deployed on the world’s busiest sea trade routes.
The Alliance will enable us to offer our customers an
unrivalled service with more weekly sailings, wider port
coverage, and more direct calls thereby reducing transit
times, all ensuring a reliable service.
It also allows each partner company to optimise operations
by positioning vessels to ensure capacity is best matched
to each service.
The signing demonstrates once again how CMA CGM
is leading from the front, despite a difficult economic
situation for the whole industry and extremely volatile
freight rates, as confirmed by the first quarter of 2016.
In this constantly changing industry, our Group remains
strong and continues to grow. Operating in more than
160 countries on all continents, CMA CGM maintains a
business policy based on being geographically close
to customers and responding to their needs. We are
continually upgrading our services with increasingly
innovative solutions to best meet their expectations.
Hence why, ahead of the opening of the expanded
Panama Canal, last year CMA CGM signed an agreement
at a new hub in Kingston, Jamaica, able to accommodate
and operate the big ships that will make the crossing via
the enlarged canal. A strategic location in the heart of the
Caribbean it enables us to offer services tailored to our
customers.
We are also meeting their growing demands, notably
in refrigerated transport where our reefer experts bring
all their expertise to the table, providing them with
personalised day-to-day support that goes far beyond a
purely business relationship.
“
CMA CGM maintains a business policy
based on being close to customers and
responding to their needs.
“
We also integrate the best technology in our industry. Yesterday, we launched the first world-connected containers
equipped with TRAXENS technology. Today, thanks to a
new type of container, we can transport live lobsters in
optimal conditions and offer customers new opportunities
to grow their business.
Backed by this breadth of expertise, acquired over the
years since our company was founded, and a determination to be a driving force in changing the shipping world,
we want to be the leading carrier for our customers. It is
for them that we adapt our rotations, launch new lines and
open new inland corridors; it is for them that we keep on
investing and innovating.
It is with them that we are building the shipping of the
future.
THE CAMP: CMA CGM INVESTS IN THE DIGITAL WORLD
2
S PR ING 2 016
3
AROUND
THE WORLD
4
S PR ING 2 016
CMA CGM RESPONDS TO GROWTH IN
WEST INDIES MARKET
THE GROUP PURSUES
EXPANSION IN AFRICA
Present in the West Indies for several
decades, the CMA CGM Group has
developed a diversified and extremely
reliable network of services dedicated to
this region.
This year the Group upgraded its services
to the West Indies. During the first quarter
of 2016 capacity on the direct PCRF line,
connecting the Caribbean to North Europe,
was increased when two older 2,200 TEU
vessels were replaced by ships able to
carry up to 2,800 TEU. Two extra European
calls have also been added at Zeebrugge
and Rotterdam, providing more import
and export opportunities to West Indies
customers.
By upgrading its fleet serving the West
Indies, CMA CGM is responding both
to the 3% year-on-year growth in the
Caribbean market and that on the intraCaribbean trade.
There are now five of the Group’s lines
calling into this region, linking the West
Indies to the rest of the world, and also
providing efficient transshipment relays
through three regional services reaching
the whole sub-region.
For several years now, the CMA CGM
Group has been pursuing a strategic
decision to develop its services in
Africa, the acquisition of Delmas
in 2006 being a strong sign of this
ambition. With its skilled teams, a
dense agency network and rapidly
expanding inland inbound services,
CMA CGM has become a recognized
player in the transport sector on this
continent. In order to continue offering
ever more innovative transport solutions
adapted to customer requirements, the
Group decided to bring all its shipping
activities to and from Africa under the
CMA CGM brand.
st
Since March 1 2016, the Delmas brand
is now CMA CGM. For the Group’s
customers nothing has changed, as
shipping and overland services remain
the same as do the staff, all committed
to guaranteeing a quality service close
to their clients.
To support the transition, CMA CGM
launched a publicity campaign focused
on Africa which will appear in more than
23 African countries.
WELCOME BENJAMIN FRANKLIN!
At Long Beach mid-February, CMA CGM
launched a new giant of the
seas named after a historical figure in
America. “I name this ship CMA CGM
Benjamin Franklin. I wish all her crew and
those who sail on her a fair wind.” The
date was February 19th. After pronouncing
this ritualistic phrase, the containership’s
godmother released a bottle of
champagne which in time-honoured
fashion broke on contact with the hull.
“By bringing this ship to the United
States we are confirming our commitment
to strengthening our presence here,”
explained the Group’s Chairman Jacques
R. Saadé, minutes before the ceremony.
Present on both seaboards and in the
Gulf of Mexico, CMA CGM has set a goal
to provide rapid and efficient responses
to American market expectations and
continue its development. In this context,
the Group is paying homage to the
country’s history by naming its new vessel
“Benjamin Franklin”, one of the founding
fathers of the United States.
CMA CGM: MAIN PARTNER OF
MONUMENTA 2016 AT THE GRAND
PALAIS IN PARIS
The CMA CGM Group is the principle
partner of Monumenta 2016, a major
contemporary art event being held at the
Grand Palais in Paris from May 8th to June
18th 2016.
This year, the spotlight is on FrenchChinese artist Huang Yong Ping and his
work entitled “Empires”. When exploring
globalization, he often uses metaphors
inspired by the maritime universe in his
works. Monumenta 2016 confirms this
approach, integrating shipping industry
elements into the piece itself. It was the
strong presence of CMA CGM within the
same sector that convinced the Group
to be the main sponsor.
CMA CGM has been involved with the
project from its genesis to production,
making available its expertise, industrial
resources and knowhow when it comes
to extremely complex logistics.
5
Aquaviva:
A revolutionary
mode of transport
for live lobsters
THE EXPERTS
The name says it all: Aquaviva is a means of transporting live aquatic animals by sea and
is the brand new container launched by CMA CGM. The device was developed at the
instigation of Jacques R. Saadé and designed in partnership with a company specialised
in water filtration systems for the shellfish farming sector, in other words the production
of shellfish such as oysters and mussels. “Based on two principles, the combination of
which has produced this global innovation, the Aquaviva container is the fruit of several
years of R&D projects jointly led by our reefer teams and those at EMYG,” explains Alexis
Michel, Senior Vice President Logistics, Containers, Intermodal & Reefer at CMA CGM.
The first product to benefit from opportunities presented by this innovative container
type are lobsters. Until now they have been transported frozen or live on a block of ice
by air. Now they can be taken by sea in optimal conditions with no break from their
natural habitat. “The new containers are filled with salt water, the temperature of which
is maintained by reefer technologies employed by CMA CGM, and recreate the lobster’s
natural habitat. Each animal has its own individual space as it does when lying low under
a rock on the seabed,” says Alexis Michel.
With its new “Aquaviva” technology, designed initially to transport live lobsters
by sea, CMA CGM is once again leading the way as a pioneer in the container
sector: an innovation that opens up many new prospects.
From the fishing trawler to the final
customer, live lobsters are carried safely
in the containers filled with Sea Water
that will be filtered and maintained at
constant temperature during the whole
journey.
6
P PR
S
R INTEM
IN G 2PS
0162 016
7
THE EXPERTS
NO STRESS CROSSING
At the end of a 12-day crossing, the health authorities in Rotterdam found the lobsters to be in excellent condition and
particularly robust. “In effect it gave the green light to our project,” sums up Sylvain Ono Dit Biot. He was however still
determined to further improve the system by combining refrigeration and temperature regulation for when normal cold
conditions reach extreme levels, as they do in Canada for example. “We built a version 2 Aquaviva container with an
inner glass door to make it easier to inspect the animals and also a new drainage device. Then we built a version 3 that
was even more robust to withstand the fiercest storms without having to worry about the occupants.”
The first target markets for the equipment will be those in North America and Europe, but according to Alexis Michel
this new generation of containers will in the medium term also be open to transporting other seafood products by sea:
“In short, Aquaviva will enable us to convert other products to container transport and access emerging demands for
transport.” Exports from France of blue lobsters, clams and oysters to Russia or Japan, etc., the prospects are many
and currently being investigated. Among them are those concerning the ultra-delicate transport of rock lobsters.
A TECHNOLOGICAL FEAT
These specialised reefers are equipped with a mechanical, biological
and natural continuous water filtration system based on EMYG’s
unique Aquapure expertise: the salt water in the container is being
continuously filtered, without the use of any chemical element,
guaranteeing its purity and ensuring live lobsters are transported
in optimal conditions.
It all started three years ago at a meeting between managers from
the CMA CGM Group and EMYG. The company had recently installed a mobile filtration system on an articulated lorry to relocate an
oyster farm in the Arcachon region in France. The idea then came
to transpose this concept to a standard-sized container. “The main
challenge was immediately obvious as the system had to be made
“sea-proof” and strengthened, given that a container is subject to
continuous movement in a corrosive environment,” explains Sylvain Ono Dit Biot, Support Reefer Manager. Systems devised to
avoid any leakage were soon added to other customs and phytosanitary obligations. Another major consideration was
that an in-depth understanding of the lobster’s metabolism was required to ensure the animals would be in the best
conditions throughout the journey.
Having overcome all the technical and administrative obstacles, the first trial was arranged between France and
Morocco in 2014. A few months later in January 2015, a prototype version 1 Aquaviva container was shipped to
Canada, a major lobster exporter. In fact, the government of New Brunswick on the east coast was already committed
to a strategy to upgrade its lobster production, while keeping a careful eye on preserving this resource and respecting
the animal. At the end of 2015, there was another loading, this time of 2,800 crustaceans heading for the Netherlands
in the version 2 prototype.
8
S PR IN G 2 016
A final note on technical aspects: for every kilo of lobster carried in the new Aquaviva containers only 406g of CO2 is
produced, compared to nearly 3,960g when transported by air. It’s a figure that proves yet again that the CMA CGM
Group really is fully committed to controlling the carbon footprint linked to its business.
In the wake of Traxens, which transforms containers into connected objects, CMA CGM continues its innovation
strategy with Aquaviva. Not only is it a significant development but also a global innovation making the Group the only
ocean carrier able to offer this type of service to its customers.
More about lobsters
In the 17th and 18th century, lobster was so common along the Atlantic north coast of America it was considered
food for servants, slaves and even prisoners! Times have changed dramatically for the lobster which has
become rarer, both as a dish and in its natural habitat, the cold Atlantic waters on European and American
shores. They live under rocks in coastal zones, from areas that become exposed when the tide is out up to
depths of 50m.
To date no farming method has proved profitable, due to the time it takes for an animal to reach a commerciallyviable size. However, aquaculture farms, particularly in Canada and Norway, help maintain stocks by introducing lobsters raised in captivity to the wild. Considered by many to be almost immortal, no-one really knows
the true lifespan of lobsters. What is known is that these crustaceans are very sensitive to their environment
and the quality of the water in which they live. That’s what makes this new mode of transport developed by
CMA CGM with EMYG so innovative and promising for the future.
9
FOCUS
PANAMA CANAL
EXPANSION
Reordering
maritime trade
THE PANAMA CANAL EXPANSION
PROGRAMME IS NEARING COMPLETION
AND SOON THE NEW 14,000 TEU NEOPANAMAX VESSELS WILL BE ABLE
TO CROSS STRAIGHT FROM THE
PACIFIC TO THE ATLANTIC. A MAJOR
RESHUFFLE OF ALL THE CARDS HELD
BY INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING, THE Μ
CMA CGM GROUP HAS ANTICIPATED
THIS SEA CHANGE, PARTICULARLY WITH
ITS KINGSTON HUB.
10
S PR IN G 2 016
It was an event that took the world by surprise when on
October 22nd 2006, the Panamanian people gave the
nod in a referendum to a project launched six months
previously by their President to expand the Panama Canal.
With 66% of voters saying “yes”, everyone understood
that the face of international trade was about to undergo
a sea change.
Ten years on and the titanic works are nearing completion,
a prelude to the official opening of new locks, essential
to international shipping. “The expanded canal will turn
international trade on its head, and it is shipping lines
that will be affected the most, particularly those involved
on the Asia / East Coast United States routes,” explains
Farid T. Salem, CMA CGM Group Executive Officer.
In the former configuration, the canal could take what
were referred to as “Panamax” vessels, with a length of
294m and 32m wide. Tomorrow, ships measuring 363m x
49m with a draft of 15m will be able to use it. It’s a major
evolution as traffic moves from a TEU capacity of 5,000
to 14,000.
It would have been an unimaginable volume to the
captain of the steam-powered cargo ship, the Ancon,
which on August 15th 1914 was the first to cross the
Panama Canal, ensuring a place in the history books. By
crossing from the Pacific to Atlantic without having to go
round the whole of South America via Cape Horn, the
Ancon realized a dream the conquistadors had in the 16th
century. During this period of discovery and conquest, the
Isthmus of Panama that was under Spanish domination
was a passage route for gold and silver from Peru. But the
road was long for overland convoys, and galleons loaded
with treasure on route to Europe were exposed to storms
and proved heaven-sent victims for pirates.
While Holy Roman Emperor Charles V had dreamed of
doing something in 1534, it all really began in 1881 as
the result of a French initiative. Given that Ferdinand de
Lesseps had led a successful project to build the Suez
Canal in Egypt, which opened in 1869, why not repeat the
feat in Central America? Work began but had to stop in
1888, due to the monumental scale of the project and the
financial problems that dogged the company responsible
for the project. Geopolitics then intervened as a separatist movement supported by the United States broke with
Columbia. In 1903, at the same time as Panama gained
its independence, a deal was reached giving the US
“rights in perpetuity” over the canal zone that remained
to be completed. It took another 11 years to finish the
construction which was beset with problems. It was not
until 1914 that ships could finally navigate the 77km canal
and its locks to go from one ocean to another without having to take the interminable detour. For example, where
a boat sailing from New York to San Francisco via Cape
Horn would have had to travel 24,500km, now it had a
9,700km alternative, less than half the distance, if it chose
to take the Panama Canal that could be crossed in eight
to ten hours.
11
FOCUS
Evolution of shipping routes
Every year some 15,000 vessels cross the canal, around 40 a day, carrying
over 200 million tons of merchandise.
As soon as the project was announced, CMA CGM started examining
the different options. Up until then, the canal’s dimensions set the rules
of the game as they limited the size of ships. “Whether it’s the Kingston
hub, other ports in the Caribbean region or shipping connections between
the United States’ East and West Coast, the region’s technological and
commercial strategies were all intimately linked to the size of the Panamax
ships,” explains Olivier Tretout, CEO of the Kingston Terminal.
“The moment President Torrijos received the support of his electorate
to expand the canal, we started studying the cascade effects this major
change would have in order to adapt our capacities and strategy in the
best way possible,” continues Patrice Mittard, Vice President Operations
at CMA CGM.
15cm either side of the hull
Obviously, such a significant reduction in distances and navigation times had a major impact on the
international shipping trade, to such an extent that the canal had to be continually altered over the
years to adjust to economic contingences and changes to transport. In 1939 for example, the United
States launched a project to build new locks to allow passage for larger ships. When the Second
World War broke out, work was suspended and in 1945 the giant USS Missouri battleship squeezed
through with a margin of just 15cm either side of the hull at the canal’s narrowest point!
Simply trying to widen it was not enough and it became essential to find a more radical solution
to significantly increase the canal’s capacity: namely to add a third set of locks with larger basins.
However, it was not the Americans who passed the act but the Panamanians themselves. In fact,
Washington agreed to renounce its “rights in perpetuity” drawn up in 1904, as the result of a treaty
signed in 1977 which culminated in the US completing its withdrawal in 1999. On December 31st 1999,
the canal came under the sole control of Panama which was finally able to make the passageway a
central element of its economy and vital source of revenue. But it had to act quickly as neighbouring
Nicaragua was planning to open its own competing canal. “The canal is our oil ! ” declared Panama’s
Head of State General Torrijos in 2004. “Its capacity needs to be expanded to absorb the growing
demand of cargo ships and to generate more wealth for the Panamanians.”
12
S PR IN G 2 016
Destinies are linked between the Panama Canal and CMA CGM, as the
Group is its fourth largest customer, even number two when talking
container transport. Now the very large vessels will be able to make this
rapid connection via the Pacific and Panama Canal. “The increase in
capacities will be gradual,” explains Patrice Mittard, with vessels passing
first from 5,000 to 9,000 or 10,000 TEU before the even larger ships,
time for the port of New York to finish its project to raise the height of
the Bayonne Bridge. CMA CGM is already set to integrate 13,000 TEU
containerships on this route and six 14,000 TEU giants are currently being
built. For Farid T. Salem: “The new situation will allow us to adapt our offer
to global economic fluctuations even better and faster than ever before. It
has reshuffled the cards and led us to rethink our traditional lines between
Asia and the rest of the world.” When questioned further about whether
new markets will develop or emerge given the new opportunities, and how
customers will react, he says: “It’s not that simple. While it may be an
evolution it’s not a revolution. For sure, between New York and Shanghai,
going via Panama shortens the route compared to Suez (10,582 miles as
opposed to 12,366). On the other hand, between New York and Hong Kong
the difference is only one day at sea. It’s a subtle choice between Panama
and Suez and requires a lot of thought on our part to give our customers
the best service.”
13
FOCUS
Kingston: a strategic crossroads
The canal’s expansion will also have a major impact on imports coming from Asia to the United States West Coast. As
goods unloaded at Long Beach or Los Angeles are then taking inland links to the East where two thirds of Americans
live, the delivery chain could be turned upside down by the development of direct Asia-USA East Coast trade. “With
their higher volumes, the Post-Panamax ships will offer major price advantages.”
Regarding the Kingston hub in Jamaica which is centrally located in the Caribbean Sea, opposite the Panama Canal
just one day’s sailing away, CMA CGM decided long ago to make this a strategic location. “Establishing a hub in
Panama would have lengthened the route for certain lines plying the region, while Kingston has all the advantages,
both for the very big ships and all the others,” explains Olivier Tretout.
While around 10% of goods unloaded at Kingston are for the local market, 90% of volumes transhipped onto other
vessels are heading off in all directions, East Coast and Gulf of Mexico. A 30-year concession was signed between the
Jamaican authorities and the CMA CGM Group (and its subsidiary Kingston Freeport Terminal Limited) to develop the
container terminal’s staffing and technical capabilities: more than 900 employees, 2,400m of dock, 14 then 18 gantry
cranes and a deeper channel, will all help to meet the new challenges. “It’s a whole new network for everyone, that’s
the issue,” says Olivier Tretout.
For CMA CGM, everything is now in place and it’s just a question of waiting until June 26th 2016 , the date set for the
official opening of the “new look” canal. As well as the widening and deepening of existing navigational channels, the
makeover sees new lock systems that will be nothing like the old ones. Two sets have been built, one Pacific-side and
the other on the Atlantic side, each comprising several water retention basins.
On the administration side, the old lock gates, “curved centenarians”, have been replaced by new rectilinear gates
that slide into the walls once open, thus increasing the usable width. Another notable change: while the old locks took
eight minutes to fill, the new ones, although much larger, will fill in just 10 minutes. There are many anecdotes related
to this massive project, including the meticulous operation to clear 400 hectares rigged with explosives in a former
US Army shooting range along six kilometres of the channel leading to the Pacific coast. In a few months, all these
technical details will be forgotten and priority given to the new opportunities it provides for global trade. It’s important
to remember that 90% of goods on international markets are carried on the world’s shipping routes: it is the safest and
most economical mode of transport, facts that made it imperative to modernize the Panama Canal. But to properly
assess the consequences will take around three to five years, the time it takes for a gradual evolution to occur. The
era of the Neo-Panamax is only just beginning…
CMA CGM AND THE PANAMA CANAL
11
Number of CMA CGM lines that
cross the Panama Canal
835,177
Number of TEU carried on the Panama
Canal for the CMA CGM Group
14
S PR IN G 2 016
331
Number of vessels a year which
cross the Panama Canal
n°4
OF 582 CLIENTS
Customer ranking for the CMA CGM
Group for the Panama Canal
15
TRAVEL
Cargo
CRUISE
AN AUTHENTIC
VOYAGE
Forget packaged tours,
impersonal hotels, beaten
tracks and paths that have
been trodden a million times
Welcome Aboard one of
CMA CGM’s containerships to
explore oceans, seas and ports
of call, and gain a whole new
perspective.
16
S PR ING 2 016
WHAT OUR PASSENGERS HAVE TO SAY
By choosing a cargo cruise, you are no longer a tourist but a
traveller – taking time to look around you, intensely aware and
savouring every moment of life at sea, as land fades into the
distance and the vastness of the oceans opens out before you.
The profile of travellers varies widely from freedom-loving
hedonists to painters and writers in search of an inspirational space; all adventurers at heart. The aspect they have in
common is a need for new horizons; a desire to embrace the
vastness of our oceans as they appeared to the great explorers
of bygone eras; the desire to experience the mariner’s way of
life by sharing in the daily lives of the crew and learning about
their way of life. Ahead lies the surprise of the next port of call,
for there is always a new world waiting beyond the horizon.
By inviting passengers aboard the ships in its fleet (1), CMA
CGM is reviving an era of travel when the pleasure lay not in
the destination but the journey itself.
With 450 ports of call in more than 160 countries, the Group’s
containerships ply the world’s oceans, dropping anchor on
all continents. If the mission of these giants of the sea is to
transport goods from one side of the globe to the other, their
size and capacity allow them to accommodate a few privileged
guests. Who would imagine that these impressive ships have
several private cabins and that passengers can travel in comfort
with relaxation areas, TV room, even sports facilities available,
and meals prepared by the head chef and taken in the officers’
mess. There is no need to have a definitive programme, any
voyage is possible from a few days to several months. You can
get off at any port of call and stay for 24 hours, one week or
longer, and wait for another ship to continue your journey.
“Having travelled by cargo nine times, including two round
the worlds, dare I admit that I am totally hooked on this way
of travelling on CMA CGM container ships! Spacious cabins,
service worthy of a multi-star hotel. The pleasure of sharing
meals with the captain and his officers. The professionalism
of the crews who even when they are really busy are always
smiling. I am often the only woman on board and have always
appreciated the kindness and respect shown by these men
of the sea: a passion we have in common!” confides Mary R.
“As you enter a port you leave behind the earthly world,” explains Fabien G. on the CMA CGM Médéa - French Asia Line
2. “Not just anybody can come into a terminal, so you hold
tight to the boarding card, that indispensable “open sesame”
to a big adventure. At last, we’re at the dock – and there she
is! Viewed from the bottom of the gangway, the Médéa doesn’t
look like a ship. For a moment she looks like a wall of metal. I
can’t distinguish the front or the back. Some 40 metres higher
up I glimpse movements. Containers seem to be flying, suspended by a huge gantry crane that lifts them up off the ship
and lowers them on to the quay. The first phase of my journey
is about to begin as I ascend the boarding ladder (long, very
long!) giving access to the bridge at an angle of 45°. No point
counting the steps, better to take care and not commit a faux
pas! The ocean awaits me in my mind, already I can hear those
magic words: “Cast off!” After a stop of barely 24 hours in Le
Havre, the Médéa will be heading to Dunkirk tomorrow, then
Zeebrugge. Then there will be Hamburg, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge again, then Southampton.The big containerships will then
head south to Gibraltar, Lebanon, the Red Sea, Jeddah. Direction Indian Ocean and Asia! I am going to another planet.”
(1) Information and reservations Cargo Cruise contact:
[email protected]
17
GROUP LIFE
Bananas, apples, pears, shellfish, frozen meat and fish, cut flowers, but also wine and medicines - over 150 products
and categories of consumer goods travel every day by sea in a temperature-controlled or refrigerated environment.
As the logistics become ever more accurate, reefer containers that first appeared on the market in the 1950s have
really taken off in the last few years. World number 2 in this expanding sector, CMA CGM operates 113,000 of these
technical containers. With 900,000 TEU in Reefer containers carried last year, their share of the total flow of CMA CGM
containers has risen from 4.5% to nearly 10% in a decade.
“It’s an area of expertise in which we have invested significant resources,” explains Eric Legros, Deputy Vice President
in charge of this department. But over the last ten years not all the hard work has gone into increasing volumes. From
simple refrigerators replacing chilled holds in cargo vessels, Reefer containers have become tools for maintaining
optimal conditions for preserving sensitive goods from point of production to consignee by containership, barge, train
or truck. “We now have a cold chain,” sums up Eric Legros.
Reefer container design has evolved to provide a consistent, uniform flow of chilled air from the floor to reach every
cubic centimetre of volume. Temperature control is to within half a degree, from -60°C to freeze the flavours of the
tastiest goods up to +25°C to keep oils and beverages in a stable atmosphere whatever the weather throws at them
during the crossing.
:
BACKED BY ITS EXPERTS, UNIQUE KNOWHOW
AND A DIVERSIFIED FLEET EQUIPPED WITH THE
LATEST TECHNOLOGY, CMA CGM STANDS OUT FOR
THE QUALITY OF ITS SERVICE IN REFRIGERATED
CONTAINER TRANSPORT. THANKS TO A REEFER
FLEET DESIGNED TO MEET ANY REQUIREMENTS FOR
CONSERVATION AND PROTECTION, FROM ULTRACOLD TO TIGHTLY CONTROLLED CHILLING, THE GROUP
OFFERS CUSTOMERS TAILORED SOLUTIONS FOR
THEIR PRODUCTS.
18
S PR ING 2 016
TRAVELLING IN A CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE
From ultra-cold minuses to temperature-controlled pluses the distribution of electronic sensors in the boxes enables
them to cover the full spectrum of conservation requirements à la carte, from tropical fruits that must be prevented
from ripening, to chocolate that will not tolerate the slightest discrepancy. It’s not just about food products, but also
preserving the nap of leather goods for example, or, an extreme case, adhesives for the aerospace industry. For it is in
these hi-tech boxes that the necessary conditions for transport are recreated to ensure the chemical composition of
adhesives bound for major assembly factories remains stable.
It is not just about temperature. “By modifying the nature of the air in the container, we can control the ripening process of fresh produce and increase shelf life,” adds Eric Legros. Thanks to partnerships with global air conditioning
giants and research bodies such as CIRAD (Centre International de Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement)
to develop refrigerated containers, CMA CGM can offer several types of container to meet very specific needs. While
more conventional systems can regulate the flow of air and temperature, others are able to control the composition
of air, be it the CO2 level or more recently that of oxygen. In ambient air which contains 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen,
0.03% carbon dioxide, agricultural goods transpire and dehydrate, aerobic micro-organisms thrive threatening decay,
ethylene is produced causing ripening, while respiration leads to ageing. The air inside Reefers is constantly renewed
by ventilation systems linked to sensors and electronically controlled to maintain the optimal environment. For example,
a CO2 level of 8% to prevent avocadoes from ripening, 65% humidity for some early vegetables, 4% oxygen to keep
bananas in hibernation, and so on.
19
REEFER EXPERTS IN THE FIELD
To maximise the benefits of Reefer technology, CMA CGM
has a dedicated organisation in 85 countries and in several
of its regional offices (Hong Kong, Durban, Sao Paulo,
Miami, Dubai, Norfolk). “They study the requirements of
shippers and consignees before giving technical advice
on chilled transport. They can even provide specific training courses to shippers both in the agricultural or seafood product sectors,” comments Eric Legros.
Seafarers also have a role to play in monitoring shipments:
on the dock reefer experts ensure refrigerated containers
are loaded properly and are functioning correctly.
On board, staff regularly check the parameters recorded
by electronic data-loggers every 30 minutes: supply air,
return air and ambient air temperatures, humidity levels,
etc. If there is a problem an alarm immediately alerts
the crew who take the appropriate action. “All data is
recorded to show that everything went smoothly during
the crossing,” says Eric Legros. “It gives our customers
confidence, as they are putting their perishable goods in
our hands and rely on us to control the entire cold chain.”
On the 200 lines operated by CMA CGM, all vessels are
REEFER CONTAINERS HAVE BECOME
TOOLS FOR MAINTAINING OPTIMAL
CONDITIONS FOR PRESERVING SENSITIVE
GOODS
able to deliver the energy required to operate reefers as
they have plugs and on-board generators. The Group’s
Reefers going overland are also equipped with portable
generators (gensets). Alongside the fleet of conventional
Reefers, most of which are low-energy, the Group also
has specialised equipment including a 1,700-strong fleet
of 45 feet containers adapted to multi-modal transport
in Europe, allowing the largest number of pallets to be
loaded (32). On the main Reefer routes, CMA CGM is
committed to deploying a high-quality service that respects strict criteria regards punctuality. Even after several
days, sometimes several weeks at sea, vessels arrive at
the right port on time ready to supply supermarkets the
day before a weekend or major festivals.
Every day more than 200 million tons of refrigerated goods
travel by sea, of which half are in Reefer containers. Their
share of the market continues to grow with the increased
demand for quality and freshness. CMA CGM transports
nearly 9% of the global volume.
THANKS TO PARTNERSHIPS WITH
GLOBAL AIR CONDITIONING GIANTS
AND RESEARCH BODIES, CMA CGM
CAN PROVIDE SEVERAL TYPES OF
CONTAINER TO MEET SPECIFIC
NEEDS
GROUP LIFE
5 CHALLENGES
WHEN
TRANSPORTING
SENSITIVE
PRODUCE
Fruit and veg from Morocco
The challenge: SPEED
Imperative not to export parasites with the fruit. For
several years now the big citrus importers (Japan, Korea,
United States, China, Taiwan…) have been protecting
their own plantations, with agreements varying from state
to state requiring shipments to be treated to eradicate
pests and their egg-layers. The solution adopted by
CMA CGM avoids fumigation and insecticides. During
12 to 16 days at sea, a steady temperature close to
zero destroys all living parasites without ever freezing
the fruit. The term is “steri-shipment” or cold treatment.
Twice daily reports from sensors planted in several fruits
feeds into a database that can be consulted by the
buyer. If values are exceeded, he may decide to divert
his cargo to markets not subject to these protocols.
CMA CGM has deployed five connections with 14
weekly sailings to support the citrus fruit export season
(oranges, clementines…) and spring vegetables (tomatoes, courgettes, peppers…) from Morocco to Great
Britain, Russia, the Middle East and North America. By
careful synchronisation of timetables, vessels leaving
Agadir reach North Europe – one of the biggest markets
for fruit and veg from the sunny south – at the same time
as trucks, increasingly at a disadvantage due to tougher
border controls. Advantages: reliability, security and less
impact on the environment. The Reefers employed have
the same capacity as refrigerated lorries: 45ft allowing
a stuffing capacity of 32 (European) pallets against the
usual 23 for standard Reefers.
Looking as if they’ve just come out of the water despite
several days on a ship - only a handful of operators know
how to handle fish with the delicate flesh that delights
discerning gourmets. CMA CGM deploys a fleet of ultralow Reefer containers that freeze the product to below
zero temperatures beyond -40°C. In these hibernation
conditions, the fish arrive on the stalls with bright eyes
and no blemishes. Everything is “ultra” in the Reefers
transporting them: the insulation material to withstand
the difference in temperature of up to 80°C between the
inside and outside of the container, the compressors…
Despite that the service remains very competitive when
compared to air transport: 40ft fitted-out containers can
take 25 tonnes of produce, whereas the price is given per
kilo by the airlines.
S PR ING 2 016
Impossible not to include them in any diet: packed with
vitamins, practical and with a rich velvety texture, for
years the banana has been the product with star appeal standing out among other fruit and vegetables. No
question of missing even one weekend in the year. Supermarkets demand weekly deliveries on a fixed day.
Picked before they are ripe in the Ivory Coast, but particularly in the West Indies, Costa Rica, Mexico, Colombia
and Ecuador, the fruit must cross the ocean and not look
a day older at the end of the journey. In dedicated reefer containers the air is replenished every two hours to
get rid of the ethylene which could rekindle the ripening
process, and the temperature maintained at 13.6°C, the
optimal environment for conserving them. The Group excels at transporting bananas.
Citrus fruit from South Africa
The challenge: SECURITY
Fish from the Indian Ocean
The challenge: CONSERVATION
20
Bananas from Ecuador
The challenge: PRECISION
Grapes from California
The challenge: KEEPING IT FRESH
With competition on this market from the airlines, CMA
CGM’s maritime solution is both more economical,
when transporting large volumes, and useful as the time
taken for the crossing is put to good use to eliminate
undesirable fungi. In an atmosphere at 1°C, shipments
requiring it are ionised by ultra-violet lamps to partially
transform the oxygen present in the containers into
ozone, a sworn enemy in the battle against fungal and
bacterial growth. Ozone acts like a natural disinfectant.
It’s like breathing the air after a thunderstorm where the
lightening will have ionised the atmosphere.
21
INNOVATION
The Camp:
CMA CGM invests in the digital world
Destined to become a laboratory of ideas focused on the digital universe, The Camp is due
to open its doors in Aix-en-Provence. Even before it has a physical location, The Camp
is already a think-tank bringing together blue chip companies, start-ups, teachers and
researchers, an initiative CMA CGM wanted to invest in and be involved.
“
Innovate, anticipate, accelerate together to succeed
Is how Emmanuel Macron, France’s Minister of the Economy, Industry and Digital Affairs described The Camp project, a
whole new genre of campus for Europe.
Dedicated to the digital revolution and city
of the future, The Camp aims to be international, cross-disciplinary, cross cultural
and cross-generational, in short a centre
for inspirational exchange where people
from all backgrounds will come to collaborate. The idea is to bring together in
one place blue chip companies, start-ups,
academics, teachers, researchers and
students to create a think-tank of ideas
focused mainly on the digital world.
22
S PR IN G 2 016
“
Being a non-standard project with a global
ambition centred on innovation and based
in Aix-en-Provence, it was only natural
for CMA CGM to be involved. Indeed, the
Group wasted no time joining the project,
wanting to invest in it, not only as a responsible major economic player but also
as a visionary company that has made innovation one of its trademarks. Alongside
CMA CGM are other big groups such as
IBM, Cisco, EDF, Sodexo, Vinci and Crédit
Agricole: partners united round innovation
to build the environment of our future.
THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX
For this project, CMA CGM aims to promote a global, forward-looking vision
for shipping: “What will the future be like for our profession in ten years?
What impact will the digital universe have on industrial and commercial
basics underpinning our industry? How can we encourage innovative
processes? How can we break down the barriers between private and
public sectors? How can we create a new learning experience by ensuring
CEOs, managers, teachers and students cross paths? These are the type
of questions (and many others) that this new genre of university will help us
address. The remit is not set in stone and we are expecting a lot from the
ambitious promises put forward by The Camp,” explains Emmanuel Pitron,
CMA CGM Vice President Strategy and Development.
Other issues such as the “sustainable city” or “the position of logistics and
shipping in the digital world” could be the topic for case studies.
Although everyone must be patient for a few more months before The Camp
is up and running within the walls of Aix-en-Provence and a catalyst for the
whole region, 2016 will be more than just the construction phase. Each
founding member has already set up an internal network of contributors,
and workshops have started.
The campus will be a driving force for innovation, an area of project
development and experimentation: the ideal place to “think outside the
box”.
23
WWW.CMA-CGM.COM