CMA CGM welcomes its first Indian flagged vessel, CMA CGM Vitoria

The CMA CGM Group welcomed the arrival of the first Indian flagged containership registered by a major foreign carrier, CMA CGM Vitoria, at Nhava Sheva Free port Terminal on 28^th April 2025, in the presence of Minister of State for Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways of India, Shantanu Thakur.

Atit Mahajan, Managing Director, CMA CGM India, hosted the welcoming ceremony, which was attended by key dignitaries from India’s Ministry of states for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, the Directorate General of Shipping, the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), diplomats, partners and CMA CGM India employees. With a total capacity of 2592 TEU, CMA CGM Vitoria serves India on the Group’s BIGEX Network, one of the most comprehensive offers of direct links between India, the Gulf, and the Red Sea, performing weekly calls from Nhava Sheva & Mundra.

In addition to its first local flag registration in India, the Group will register three more vessels in the coming months, underscoring CMA CGM’s commitment to India and its ambition to further develop its presence in the country. CMA CGM also becomes the first foreign shipping line to register a containerized vessel in the International Financial Services Centre, GIFT (Gujarat International Finance Tec) City, in India. India is a strategic country for the CMA CGM Group, who intends to actively contribute to the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).

“The recent visit of India’s Prime Minister to CMA CGM’s headquarters in Marseille underscores the Group’s commitment to further expanding its presence in India across shipping, intermodal transport, logistics, and terminal operations. In particular, CMA CGM has recently opened a crew management office located in Mumbai for its fleet. Through the CMA CGM Foundation, the Group aims to have a positive social impact and has supported the education of approximately 2,350 underprivileged children in Mumbai over the past three years via 10 dedicated learning centers. CMA CGM remains fully committed to supporting India’s economic growth.” – said Atit Mahajan.

With a 34-year presence in India and a workforce of 17,000 employees, CMA CGM plays a key role in connecting the country to the rest of the world through 19 weekly maritime services. In addition to its shipping operations, the Group is actively developing port infrastructure in India, thanks to strategic investments in terminals located at Nhava Sheva Freeport (NSFT), near Mumbai, and at Mundra Port. 

 CEVA Logistics, CMA CGM’s logistics subsidiary, operates across 105 sites in 31 Indian cities, managing around 900,000 square meters of warehouse space. The acquisition of Stellar VCS in 2023 further strengthened CEVA Logistics’ role in India’s contract logistics sector, offering global expertise and innovative solutions to enhance operational efficiency.

 As a key player in global trade and logistics, the CMA CGM Group intends to play a pivotal role in the IMEC project. With a modern fleet adapted to alternative energy sources and key port hubs in India, the UAE, and the Mediterranean, CMA CGM will be a key contributor to the corridor’s efficiency. Additionally, a network of dry ports along the IMEC rail route—stretching from India through Saudi Arabia and the Middle East to Europe—will leverage the Group’s logistics expertise, reinforcing the economic and strategic vision of this alternative trade route. By combining maritime flexibility with land connectivity, CMA CGM will play a vital role in the success of this transformative trade corridor.