On October 15, French shipping giant CMA CGM announced on social media that a naming ceremony was held for the 13,000TEU methanol dual-fuel container ship “CMA CGM Helium” built by HD Hyundai Samho.
The vessel measures 335 meters in length and 51 meters in beam, flies the Maltese flag, and has now joined the “BEX2” route connecting China, South Korea, Singapore, Egypt, Lebanon, Slovenia, Italy, Croatia, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.
The CMA CGM Helium is one of a series of 12 container ships announced by CMA CGM and HD Hyundai Samho in February 2023, with a total construction cost of approximately US$2.05 billion. The first vessel, the CMA CGM Iron, was officially delivered in March 2025, which is the first vessel in the CMA CGM fleet to utilize a methanol dual-fuel system. She made her inaugural call at the Port of Singapore on March 4th and is deployed on the CMA CGM CIMEX1 service connecting Asia with the Middle East Gulf region.
The second vessel in the series, the “CMA CGM Argon”, was delivered in mid-May 2025, while the “CMA CGM Helium” is the third vessel in the series. The remaining nine vessels will be delivered between late 2025 and 2026, named respectively as the CMA CGM Cobalt, Platinum, Mercury, Krypton, Thorium, Osmium, Silver, Copper, and Gold.
As one of the world’s three major shipping giants, CMA CGM holds a particularly significant position in the container shipping sector. The company currently operates a fleet of over 650 vessels, with a total capacity of 23.6 million TEUs.
Beyond its ongoing focus on methanol—a fuel widely regarded alongside ammonia as one of the most viable pathways to net-zero emissions—CMA CGM continues to maintain steady orders for vessels powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the most mainstream alternative fuel. Previously, CMA CGM ordered 10 dual-fuel LNG-powered container ships with a capacity of 22,000 TEU from Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co., Ltd., with deliveries scheduled between 2027 and 2029.
In addition to its continued focus on methanol — a fuel widely regarded as one of the most viable paths to achieving net-zero emissions, alongside ammonia — CMA CGM has maintained steady orders for ships powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the most mainstream alternative fuel.
According to previous reports, CMA CGM has placed an order with Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (DSIC) for 10 22,000 TEU container ships equipped with LNG dual-fuel propulsion systems, with delivery scheduled between 2027 and 2029.