CMA CGM’s plan to add ten 24,000 TEU LNG-powered giants under the French flag isn’t just liner news—it reshapes nearshore demand from Le Havre to Marseille-Fos.

Operationally, more ULCS calls will compress tug windows and raise the bar on capability. Expect steady demand for 80–100+ t bollard-pull ASD escort tugs with FiFi1 and indirect-escort ratings. A typical ULCS movement can require two escorts (90t+) plus two assist tugs; multiplied across weekly rotations, that’s meaningful utilization if assets and relief crews are staged smartly. LNG bunkering scales too: added sailings mean more slots for 7–18k m³ LNG bunker barges, cryogenic hose teams, and standby/guard craft around STS transfers. Vetting, crew training, and hose-handling proficiency will be differentiators.

Upgrades ripple upstream. Channels and berths will be deepened and reinforced; fenders and moorings reworked; shore power feeders sized toward 20–30 MVA. That unlocks work for multicats, split hoppers, jack-up and heavy-lift pontoons, hydrographic survey boats (MBES/ADCP), and cable-pull support craft. One clear trend: hybrid-electric harbor tugs and methanol-ready designs are entering French towage fleets, trimming fuel during idle and escort transits while giving charterers verifiable emissions per assist—data transparency will influence slot allocation and pricing.

Takeaway: ten LNG megaships equal multi-year demand for escort tugs, LNG bunkering assets, and nearshore construction tonnage across the Channel–Med corridor; owners and brokers who position from 2025 will win the utilization curve.

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