First Call of CMA CGM NOTRE DAME at the Port of Hamburg

The CMA CGM NOTRE DAME, a 400-metre-long and 62-metre-wide vessel operated by the French shipping company CMA CGM, made her first call at the Port of Hamburg on 12 July as part of the rotation of the FAL-3 (French Asia Line) service. With a capacity of 24,212 TEU, CMA CGM NOTRE DAME is currently the largest containership sailing under the French flag and the first in a series of ten identical LNG-powered ultra-large container vessels operated by CMA CGM.

The vessel was officially named in Le Havre on 2 July 2026 and subsequently entered service on the Asia–Northern Europe trade. FAL is one of CMA CGM’s key Asia–Europe services, connecting the ports of Ningbo, Shanghai, Yantian, Singapore, Le Havre, Rotterdam, Hamburg and Tangier Med on a rotation of approximately 105 days.

“The maiden call of CMA CGM NOTRE DAME in Hamburg highlights the strategic importance of the Port of Hamburg for the CMA CGM Group. By deploying modern and energy-efficient vessels, we continue to invest in more sustainable transport solutions while strengthening our long-term commitment to Hamburg. We are pleased to celebrate this milestone together with our partners in the port,” sais Mirja Nibbe, General Manager CMA CGM Germany.

“We are delighted that CMA CGM is calling at the Port of Hamburg with its latest generation of vessels. The innovations and environmental friendliness of this new series of vessels also reflect Hamburg’s commitment to being a progressive and sustainable port. Furthermore, this maiden call by an ultra-large container vessel once again highlights Hamburg’s importance as a key hub for trade between Asia and Europe,” adds Axel Mattern, CEO of Port of Hamburg Marketing.

CMA CGM NOTRE DAME is powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and features an 18,600 m³ LNG fuel tank, an aerodynamic windshield designed to reduce energy consumption, and intelligent energy management systems. The vessel offers capacity for up to 1,600 refrigerated containers (reefers) and, thanks to an optimised design, can carry 280 more containers than previous CMA CGM vessels of comparable dimensions.

In addition, the vessel is equipped with a fully digitalised bridge, combining real-time navigation tools, augmented reality systems, and AI-enabled solutions to optimise route planning, speed management, and energy consumption.

CMA CGM NOTRE DAME operates under the French flag and is registered with the French International Register (RIF). She is the first vessel in a series of ten sister ships to be delivered between 2026 and 2028, each named after iconic landmarks of French heritage.

The Port of Hamburg is one of Europe’s leading hubs for trade between Asia and Europe. With 19 regular container liner services, Hamburg offers extensive connections to Asia’s major economic centres. More than half of the port’s container throughput — approximately 4.2 million TEU in 2025 — was generated by Asian trade. The deployment of CMA CGM’s newest vessel generation on the FAL-3 service to Hamburg, together with the Group’s planned acquisition of a 20% stake in EUROGATE Container Terminal Hamburg, underlines the port’s strategic importance in global container shipping.