CMA CGM Figaro LA

The largest CMA CGM container ship ever to call at a US port, the 8,500 TEU CMA CGM Figaro, arrived yesterday in Los Angeles after its maiden voyage in the Bohai Rim service linking China and the US West Coast.

The vessel will leave Los Angeles on 1 July bound for Oakland, before crossing the Pacific to Dalian, Tianjin Xingang, Shanghai and Ningbo in China, the company said in a media release.

"The Figaro and other large vessels in our fleet are critical strategic assets in the supply chains of our customers, particularly now as Asia-US trade continues to grow and capacity remains constrained due to the recent economic downturn," said Jean-Philippe Thenoz, CMA CGM's North American senior vice president.

"Thanks to its size and equipment, this vessel will meet growing customer demand and ensure cost-savings due to economies of scale, while meeting our Group's environmental goals."

The Figaro is equipped with a new Fast Oil Recovery System to limit environmental damage should there be an mishap at sea, and a new electronically-controlled engine to reduce fuel and oil consumption.

"CMA CGM is to be congratulated for the state-of-the art environmental technologies being used aboard the Figaro and many other CMA CGM vessels," said Port of Los Angeles executive director Geraldine Knatz.