France’s CMA CGM and India’s Cochin Shipyard Limited signed a contract on February 18, 2026, in New Delhi, to build six 1,700 TEU LNG-fueled feeder vessels. This deal illustrates that India’s ongoing progress in the maritime industry is having a direct effect on shipbuilding and green shipping.
Shantanu Thakur, the Minister of State for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, and Rodolphe Saadé, the Chairman and CEO of CMA CGM Group, were present, among others at the ceremony.
Under this maritime deal, Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi will build the ships, and they will be registered under the Indian flag. The project adds to India’s order book for commercial shipbuilding and shows that Indian shipyards are getting more business from other countries. This is in line with the government’s strategic plan for the growth of the Indian marine sector.
Sarbananda Sonowal, the Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, said, “India and France share a deep and trusted strategic partnership spanning defense, space cooperation, clean energy and Indo-Pacific maritime security. The presence of French President H.E. Emmanuel Macron in India on recent occasions further reflects the strength and maturity of our bilateral ties.”
He also said that India is making progress toward being a leader in the maritime transport sector under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visionary leadership and a focus on sustainability, innovation, and collaboration with other countries. The idea naturally carries over into the maritime business, as seen in the relationship between France’s CMA CGM and Cochin Shipyard Limited.
He also said that the transaction between the two companies shows that global maritime authorities are becoming more confident of India’s shipbuilding skills.
Shantanu Thakur, the Minister of State for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, said, “This milestone has its roots in high-level strategic engagement. During the official visit of the Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi to France on 12 February 2025, he visited the CMA CGM headquarters along with the President of France. During that interaction, the Chairman of CMA CGM expressed strong interest under India’s progressive shipping policy framework in exploring the flagging of vessels in India and building new ships in Indian shipyards. Today’s agreement is the concrete outcome of that dialogue and shared vision.”
After a lot of talks to settle the ship’s specifications, Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) and CMA CGM signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) for the design and construction of six LNG-fueled feeder vessels, each having a capacity of 1,700 TEU. The official France-India deal came about because CSL and CMA CGM worked together to complete techno-commercial arrangements under the LoI. This alliance will help boost the Indian maritime sector and also contribute to the growth of green shipping.
