The CMA CGM Group has announced the delivery of the 18,000-TEU CMA CGM VASCO DE GAMA by the Chinese shipyard China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC).

The vessel, with its 399 m length and 54 m width, is the largest containership of the Group. It will sail under the UK flag, said a release.

Calling 11 different countries, the CMA CGM VASCO DE GAMA is positioned on one of the most emblematic lines of the CMA CGM Group: the French Asia Line - FAL. The FAL joins Europe to Asia. In a globalised economy, this gigantic vessel has the capacity to transport almost 200,000 tonnes of goods between the European, Middle Eastern and Asian markets, the release highlighted.

The CMA CGM VASCO DE GAMA is the first 18,000-TEU containership ever built by a Chinese shipyard, the release pointed out. The CMA CGM ZHENG HE and CMA CGM BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, 2 other vessels of the 18,000-TEU series from the CSSC shipyards, will be delivered in September and November, it added.