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CMA CGM, the world’s third largest container shipping company, says it is committed to further lowering the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of its fleet following a 35 percent reduction over the past five years.

In a statement, the company said: "The reduction of CO2 emissions on a global level is an essential factor for the future of our planet, which is why, in line with its environmental policy, the CMA CGM Group has made climate change one of its main concerns. In the last five years, the Group has taken numerous measures which have enabled it to reduce CO2 emissions from its fleet (both owned and chartered) by 35 percent."

Among the wide variety of actions taken, the most notable was CMA CGM’s decision to equip its new vessels with the latest environmental technologies (electronically controlled engines, improved hydrodynamics etc) with the result that these vessels discharge only 52 grammes of CO2 per kilometre per twenty foot equivalent units (gr per km/TEU).

The group also decided to optimize the energy performance of its fleet by reducing vessel speed whenever possible - a decision that has cut both carbon emissions and fuel consumption.

CMA CGM also confirmed its support for the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which it said was the organisation best placed to define an international policy for reducing carbon emissions in the maritime sector.