Mr. Jacques R. Saadé on board the CMA CGM Columba in Beirut, Lebanon

During the CMA CGM Columba call in Beirut, Lebanon, on August 19th (tuesday), Mr. Jacques R. Saadé, CMA CGM Group's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, visited the 11,400 TEU ship. He spoke with the Captain about the savings generated by the recent change of the bulbous bow on the ship, which has reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions beyond expectations.

In order to reduce energy consumption, the Group’s ships have already been sailing at lower speeds than those they were built for. Replacing the bulbous bows decreases the ship’s hull resistance when it penetrates water. The Group’s ships with the new bulbous bows are optimized for their new speed, which increases their energy efficiency.

This visit confirms the Group’s commitment to the environment and its objective of 50 % reduction of CO2/TEU-km emissions between 2005 and 2015.

Mr. Jacques R. Saadé took advantage of this visit on board the CMA CGM Columba to meet the entire crew.

About CMA CGM -CMA CGM, founded and led by Jacques R. Saadé is the world’s third largest container shipping company and has a turnover of 15.9 billion USD in 2013. Operating a fleet of 428 vessels, the Group serves more than 400 ports around the world. In 2013, the Group carried 11.4 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). With a presence on every continent and in 150 countries through its network of 650 agencies and branch offices, the Group employs more than 18,000 people worldwide and 2,400 in its headquarter in Marseilles.