Wärtsilä to Supply 34DF Engines for 12 New CMA CGM Container Vessels

Wärtsilä will supply a total of 36 Wärtsilä 34DF dual fuel engines for 12 new 18,000 TEU container vessels being built for French operator CMA CGM at the Jiangnan Shipyard in China. The vessels will run on LNG, supporting CMA CGM’s ambition to operate lower‑emission deep‑sea container ships. The engines will be delivered through Wärtsilä’s joint venture company CWEC (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. The engine order for all 12 vessels was booked by Wärtsilä in Q1 2026. The orders for seals and bearings were booked in Q1 2026 for the first four vessels, with the remaining eight vessels booked in Q2 2026.

The Wärtsilä 34DF engine platform combines fuel efficiency, LNG performance, and operation across a wide range of load profiles. This delivers low lifecycle and maintenance costs and a competitive total cost of ownership for large container vessels.

Supported by a mature global bunkering network, LNG remains a practical, lower‑emission fuel for deep‑sea operators. For large container vessels operating on LNG, the engine’s ability to consistently deliver strong efficiency leads to meaningful reductions in fuel consumption and associated emissions. CMA CGM already operates more than 160 Wärtsilä 34DF engines, providing a solid in‑fleet track record that informed the decision for this next series of newbuilds. 

As regulatory frameworks develop and fuel costs continue to rise, improving energy efficiency is becoming one of the most effective pathways for operators to reduce operational emissions and manage lifecycle costs. The Wärtsilä 34DF engine platform, supported by continuous technological development and broad in-service experience, helps ensure vessels can maintain competitive efficiency performance over the long term.

In addition to the 36 engines, Wärtsilä will also supply the seals and bearings, including its Airguard seal system. This will deliver pollution free tightness and oil lubricated stern tube assembly (including after and forward stern tube bearings) and line shaft bearings, for these vessels.

The equipment is scheduled for delivery to the yard commencing in 2027.