CMA CGM Selects Wärtsilä 34DF Engines for 12 LNG-Fuelled 18,000 TEU Container Ships

Wärtsilä will supply 36 Wärtsilä 34DF dual-fuel engines for 12 new 18,000 TEU container ships being built for French shipping group CMA CGM at Jiangnan Shipyard in China.

The order, announced on 6 October 2026, covers three engines for each vessel. The ships will operate on LNG and form part of CMA CGM’s fleet strategy for lower-emission deep-sea container shipping.

Wärtsilä to supply engines and shaft-line equipment

The engines will be delivered through Wärtsilä’s joint venture company CWEC (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. Wärtsilä booked the engine order for all 12 vessels during the first quarter of 2026.

The company also received orders for seals and bearings for the series. Equipment for the first four vessels was ordered in the first quarter, followed by orders for the remaining eight vessels in the second quarter.

The equipment package includes Wärtsilä’s Airguard seal system, along with an oil-lubricated stern tube assembly, after and forward stern tube bearings and line shaft bearings. Deliveries to Jiangnan Shipyard are scheduled to begin in 2027.

34DF selected for LNG efficiency and fleet commonality

The Wärtsilä 34DF is a dual-fuel engine platform designed to operate on LNG and conventional marine fuels. Its fuel-efficiency characteristics and ability to operate across different load profiles are intended to support lower fuel consumption, emissions and lifecycle costs.

CMA CGM already operates more than 160 Wärtsilä 34DF engines. The existing fleet experience was a factor in selecting the platform for the new 18,000 TEU vessels.

Xavier Leclercq, Vice-President, Newbuilding, CMA CGM, said the company has had positive experience with the engine and that its reliability and emissions performance align with the operator’s efforts to reduce its environmental footprint.

Stefan Nysjö, Vice President, Power Supply, Wärtsilä Marine, said demand is increasing for technologies that combine fuel efficiency and lower emissions while operating on alternative fuels such as LNG. He described the 34DF as an established platform for LNG-fuelled vessels, supported by its existing fleet base.

LNG remains part of CMA CGM’s alternative-fuel strategy

Wärtsilä said LNG continues to offer a lower-emission fuel option for deep-sea shipping, supported by an established bunkering infrastructure. The company also highlighted energy efficiency as a means for operators to manage fuel consumption, emissions and lifecycle costs as regulatory requirements evolve.

CMA CGM is pursuing multiple alternative-fuel pathways across its fleet. In September, the company launched the 15,000 TEU CMA CGM Alceste, a methanol-capable containership, at Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company in China.

The latest order therefore adds another LNG-fuelled series to CMA CGM’s broader fleet renewal programme, alongside its investments in methanol-capable vessels.