CMA CGM Group, the world's third largest container shipping company and the largest in France, christened one of its container ships, the CMA CGM Medea, a 9,415-TEU vessel, at the Terminal de France, Port 2000, in Le Havre on October 2. 'TEU' is twenty-foot equivalent unit, meaning the vessel can transport 9,415 twenty-foot containers (20 ft x 8 ft x 8.5 ft).

Under the French flag, the CMA CGM Medea is the group's 86th company-owned vessel in a fleet of 278 and is one of the largest container ships in the world. Also named for an opera, the CMA CGM Medea is a sister ship of the CMA CGM Fidelio, Rigoletto and Norma, all 9,400-TEU vessels.

This ocean-going giant is 349 metres long, 43 metres wide with a 15-metre draft for a speed of 24 knots.

To christen one of the pearls of its fleet, the group chose Corinne Perben, wife of Dominique Perben, the French Minister of Transportation, Infrastructure, Tourism and Maritime Affairs, as 'godmother'.

"Being the godmother of the CMA CGM Medea is both a great honour and a duty that I accept gladly. I take my role seriously and will keep the crew of this ship in my thoughts as they make their long journeys. The sea is a place of dreams. I hope that I will bring them luck," Mrs. Perben said.

New express

Deployed on the group's new express service linking Asia and Europe - the French Asia Line 2 - the CMA CGM Medea will call on the ports of Ningbo, Shanghai, Yantian, Hong Kong, Port Kelang, Le Havre, Rotterdam, Hamburg and Zeebrugge.

This new service offers CMA CGM customers additional calls from the main ports of Asia, most notably Shanghai and Ningbo as well as Port Kelang for service to all markets in South-east Asia.

With this new service, the group reinforces its offers on the Asia-Europe market, one of the most ancient maritime trade routes in the world. Today, there are a total of eight regular weekly lines to keep pace with the booming trade in this constantly growing market (up 15 per cent in 2005).

Medea fact sheet

Total container capacity: 9,415 TEUs	LOA:
349m
Beam:	42.80m
Draft:	15m
Speed:	24.1 knots
Flag:	French (RIF)
Home port:	Marseilles
Built by:	Hyundai Heavy Industries (Korea)
Delivery date:	May 12, 2006

Taken from The Daily Gleaner, Tuesday April 10, 2006