French energy group ENGIE and shipping company CMA CGM have signed a framework agreement to develop a biomethane production facility in the Le Havre industrial and port area, with output destined for CMA CGM's fleet of LNG-powered vessels.
From 2029, the plant will produce 7,000 tonnes of biomethane per year, equivalent to 100 GWh, from livestock waste, household biowaste and agricultural residues. ENGIE said the fuel would avoid an estimated 23,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, cutting lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by at least 67% compared with conventional marine fuels.
The biomethane will be supplied to CMA CGM's fleet through the European gas grid under a certified mass-balance system, requiring no modifications to existing LNG bunkering infrastructure or vessel engines.
ENGIE will lead the project's development, technical design and permitting, with the company overseeing construction and operation subject to a final investment decision. CMA CGM will invest as a minority shareholder through PULSE, its energy fund for decarbonisation infrastructure.
The facility will also produce 100,000 tonnes of digestate for use as organic fertiliser by local farmers, while 13,000 tonnes of biogenic CO2 will be recovered for commercialisation.
Catherine MacGregor, chief executive of ENGIE, said: "This partnership with CMA CGM demonstrates how industrial and energy players can work together to develop concrete solutions to decarbonise hard-to-electrify sectors, while strengthening energy sovereignty and the development of renewable gases."
Rodolphe Saade, chairman and chief executive of CMA CGM, said: "As we invest together in biomethane production in France's largest container port, Le Havre, we are pursuing our long-term vision in securing access to renewable fuels, while contributing to the energy sovereignty of France and Europe."
The project supports ENGIE's target of reaching 10 TWh of annual biomethane production capacity in Europe by 2035, up from 1.2 TWh currently. CMA CGM said more than 200 dual-fuel vessels capable of running on biomethane, biomethanol and e-fuels will have joined its fleet by 2030.
