CMA CGM’s expansion into vehicle shipping is set to gather pace, with Rodolphe Saadé outlining a fleet of approximately 21 car carriers over the coming years.

CMA CGM expects its car-carrier fleet to reach around 21 vessels over the next few years, according to Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rodolphe Saadé, signalling further expansion in a business that extends the group’s reach beyond container shipping.

Speaking in an interview with Lebanese newspaper L’Orient-Le Jour, published on 16 September, Saadé discussed the group’s investments across shipping, logistics, terminals and air cargo before highlighting its growing involvement in vehicle transportation.

“We will have a fleet of around 21 car carriers in a few years,” he said, in comments translated from French, adding that the group had previously had no presence in this segment.

The statement describes an expected future fleet size. Saadé did not specify a delivery schedule, the proportion of owned and chartered vessels, or whether all the capacity required to reach that figure had already been secured.

Nevertheless, the figure provides a clear indication of the scale CMA CGM envisages for its automotive shipping business.

Building on a Fleet Disclosed at Nine Vessels

The expansion has an established operational foundation through CEVA Logistics, CMA CGM’s logistics subsidiary.

In May 2023, CEVA announced a ten-year agreement with its parent company covering four LNG dual-fuel car carriers belonging to Eastern Pacific Shipping. Each vessel offered capacity for approximately 7,000 cars, with the first scheduled for delivery in December 2023 and the remaining three during 2024.

Under that arrangement, CEVA would manage and operate the vessels with full commercial control over their roll-on/roll-off capacity. The structure demonstrated how CMA CGM could build a vehicle shipping business through long-term access to tonnage.

By May 2025, CEVA had expanded its globally operated fleet to nine deep-sea and short-sea vessels serving four major trade lanes. Its announcement highlighted three additional vessels, ranging from 5,500 to 7,000 car equivalent units, supporting services between the Far East and Central and South America.

CMA CGM’s 2025 annual results subsequently reiterated that its finished-vehicle maritime transport activities operated a fleet of nine dedicated vessels.

A future fleet of around 21 car carriers would therefore be more than twice the size disclosed in 2025. The earlier four-vessel leasing programme forms part of that development and should not be counted separately from the later fleet total.

Extending Control Across Automotive Supply Chains

The commercial rationale is closely connected to CMA CGM’s broader ambition to provide transport services from production sites through to final delivery.

In the interview, Saadé explained that customers had encouraged the group to expand beyond ocean transport and offer comprehensive logistics solutions. That demand helped drive its investment in CEVA and subsequent acquisitions to broaden the group’s capabilities.

Automotive shipping gives this strategy a specific application.

Vehicle manufacturers require capacity to move finished cars between production centres and overseas markets, together with inland transport, storage and distribution at either end of the voyage. Access to dedicated car carriers allows CEVA to coordinate the ocean leg more closely with those land-based activities.

CEVA’s 2025 expansion announcement explicitly connected its maritime services with its inland vehicle logistics assets in Central and South America. The objective was to move vehicles through destination ports and onward into manufacturers’ distribution networks and dealerships.

A larger fleet could extend that service offering to more routes and customers. Its commercial value would depend on securing sufficient cargo and coordinating sailing schedules with port handling and inland delivery.

A Broader Role in Maritime Transport

Saadé’s remarks also place vehicle shipping within CMA CGM’s continuing diversification.

The group has expanded into logistics, air cargo, terminals and other businesses, with Saadé explaining that he wanted to avoid concentrating risk entirely in maritime container transport.

Car carriers introduce a different cargo market into that portfolio. Their deployment is tied to vehicle production, manufacturers’ export programmes and the distribution of automotive demand across regions.

That creates opportunities to deepen relationships with automotive customers already using the group’s logistics services. It also brings distinct operating requirements, including specialized cargo handling, vehicle storage and the need to accommodate different vehicle sizes and shipment patterns.

The expansion will therefore require more than additional ships. Reliable port arrangements, balanced cargo flows and coordination with customers’ production schedules will determine how effectively the fleet is employed.

The Next Question Is How the Fleet Takes Shape

Saadé’s comments establish the expected scale of the business, but leave the composition of the future fleet open.

The interview did not identify a corresponding package of newbuilding orders, vessel acquisitions or charter agreements. It would consequently be premature to describe the statement as an order for 21 ships, or to assume that all 21 would be owned by CMA CGM.

The distinction is commercially relevant. The group’s initial expansion relied on long-term charter arrangements, showing that substantial control over transport capacity can be achieved without owning every vessel.

As further details emerge, the important indicators will be how the additional capacity is secured, when it enters service and which trade lanes it will support.

For automotive customers, the significance of Saadé’s statement lies in the prospect of a larger dedicated shipping network backed by CEVA’s established logistics operations. For CMA CGM, the challenge will be to turn that expanded fleet into dependable services and sustained customer relationships across the finished-vehicle supply chain.