French liner giant CMA CGM has teamed up with compatriot energy major TotalEnergies to form an LNG bunkering services joint venture at the Port of Rotterdam.As part of the 50/50 jv, the two companies will co-own and operate a new 20,000 cu m LNG bunker vessel, expected to enter service by the end of 2028. The unit will supply the fuel to ships in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) region, including CMA CGM’s dual-fuel fleet and third-party customers.The jv will tap into TotalEnergies’ existing bunkering infrastructure in the region, including the <em>Gas Agility</em>, an 18,600 cu m LNG bunker vessel that has been operating out of Rotterdam since 2020.CMA CGM’s fast-growing LNG-powered fleet is expected to reach 123 ships by 2029. To support this expansion and its 2050 net-zero target, TotalEnergies will supply the company with up to 360,000 tonnes of LNG annually between 2028 and 2040.&ldquo;With this joint venture, CMA CGM and TotalEnergies are taking a new step to support the energy transition in shipping. For the first time, a shipping company and an energy provider will jointly operate an LNG bunkering vessel, based in the port of Rotterdam,&rdquo; noted Rodolphe Saad&eacute;, chairman and CEO of CMA CGM Group, adding: &ldquo;It is a concrete way to scale up alternative fuels and accelerate the decarbonisation of global trade.&rdquo;The two French firms have been collaborating on LNG bunkering since 2017, with supply contracts already in place at Rotterdam and Marseille Fos, and several milestone ship-to-ship LNG deliveries completed across key European ports.TotalEnergies is currently the world’s third-largest LNG player, with a global portfolio of 40m tonnes per year.&ldquo;LNG is today the most mature and immediately available solution to reduce the environmental footprint of maritime transport. This strategic partnership not only strengthens our position as a major player in LNG bunkering but also illustrates the shared commitment of two leading French companies to actively support the energy transition,&rdquo; added Patrick Pouyann&eacute;, chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies.