French shipping major ramps up India presence amid tighter cabotage and age norms.

CMA CGM to Register Sixth Container Ship Under Indian Flag.

French container shipping giant CMA CGM, led by Rodolphe Saadé, is set to deepen its India footprint by registering its sixth vessel under the Indian flag. The latest addition, CMA CGM Semarang, is expected to be flagged shortly, taking the number of CMA CGM ships flying the tricolour to six. CMA CGM Semarang is a 2007-built feeder container vessel with a capacity of about 2,700 TEUs, currently operating under the Maltese flag. By flagging the 19-year-old ship in India, the company aims to comply with the 20-year entry age cap prescribed by the Director General of Maritime Administration for registering container ships under the Indian flag. The move also reflects foreign shipping lines’ response to India’s evolving cabotage regime and stricter licensing rules under the Coastal Shipping Act. Indian-flagged vessels enjoy operational advantages on coastal routes, creating incentives for global liners like CMA CGM to localise part of their fleet in India.