Overview
CMA CGM is the third-largest container shipping line by TEU capacity, headquartered in Marseille, France, and family-controlled by the Saadé family via Merit Corporation. The group has grown rapidly through acquisitions including APL, ANL, and Container Apartments. CMA CGM operates around 620 vessels and is the largest French shipping company, plus owns the air-cargo carrier CMA CGM Air Cargo.
For seafarers
Contracts 4-6 months with mid-to-high pay tier. The fleet has a French-officer pipeline (Antwerp Maritime Academy, ENSM Nantes/Le Havre/Marseille) plus a strong Filipino, Indian, and Eastern European recruitment base. The CMA CGM Bougainville and Jacques Saadé classes (LNG-fuelled ULCVs from Chantiers de l'Atlantique) are the fleet's prestige tonnage and a desirable assignment for senior officers.
Watch for
French maritime regulations apply on French-flagged tonnage, including the French income-tax exemption for seafarers serving outside French territorial waters for more than 183 days/year — useful for French nationals but irrelevant for other nationalities. Verify the flag of your assignment before assuming any tax treatment.