Ship Photos of the Day – CMA CGM Christens Largest Ship

Photo: aérienne/CMA CGM Group

French container shipping company CMA CGM on Tuesday formally christened its largest ship to date, the CMA CGM Kerguelen, during a ceremony in Le Havre, France.

Measuring 398 meters in length by 54 meters wide, the ship can carry a total of 17,722 TEUs – a record for the group. CMA CGM Kerguelen is the first in a series of six similar vessels to be delivered to the company by the end of 2015.

The ship’s godmother, Catherine Hayot, had the honor of breaking the ceremonial bottle of champagne across the ship’s hull as she called out “I hereby christen this vessel CMA CGM Kerguelen. God bless her and all those onboard.”

Catherine Hoyat is wife of Bernard Hayot, who founded the Bernard Hayot group GBH.

CMA CGM is the world’s third largest container shipping company with over 445 vessels and more than 12.2 million TEUs carried in 2014.