CMA CGM, ENGIE to set up biomethane production site in Le Havre
French container line CMA CGM and energy company ENGIE have agreed to invest in an 11,000 mt/year biomethane production facility in Le Havre under the Salamander project.
PHOTO: Bunkering of a bulk carrier. Getty Images
The plant is expected to start producing biomethane from 2026, which they claim can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 67% compared to VLSFO.
Biomethane will be produced with pyrogasification, which generally involves thermo-chemical processing of different types of biomasses.
Dry biomass from local wood waste sources and solid recovered fuel will be heated to high temperatures and broken down into solid and liquid materials, and gas. The solid and liquid materials will then be gasified into biomethane.
The biomethane will supply CMA CGM’s fleet and other shipping company fleets. CMA CGM currently has a fleet of 30 dual-fuel e-methane ready ships and aims to add 47 more by the end of 2026.
CMA CGM and ENGIE entered into a strategic partnership last year, saying they aim to produce up to 200,000 mt/year of renewable gas worldwide by 2028.
“Salamander is the first industrial ramp-up to emerge from the partnership, an advanced pilot helping to develop the renewable gas sector, in keeping with the goals of energy independence and the energy transition set forth by the European Commission in the RepowerEU plan,” said CMA CGM’s executive vice president for assets and operation Christine Cabau Woehrel.
