Foreign Carrier CMA CGM Group Welcomes India-Flagged Containership

French shipping and logistics company CMA CGM Group has welcomed the arrival of CMA CGM Vitoria, the first India-flagged containership registered by a major foreign carrier, at Nhava Sheva Freeport Terminal (NSFT).

The 2,592 TEU boxship called NSFT, a joint venture between JM Baxi & CMA Terminals, on April 28, 2025.

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 and Mundra.

In addition to its first local flag registration in India, CMA CGM plans to register three more vessels in the coming months, underscoring its commitment to India and its ambition to further develop its presence in the country.

CMA CGM has also become the first foreign shipping line to register a containerized vessel in the Gujarat International Finance Tec (GIFT) City, a financial center and a special economic zone in India.

India is said to be a strategic country for the CMA CGM Group, which intends to actively contribute to the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).

“The recent visit of India’s Honourable 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,” Atit Mahajan, General Manager of CMA CGM India, commented.

“CMA CGM remains fully committed to supporting India’s economic growth.”

With a 34-year presence in India and a workforce of 17,000 employees, CMA CGM is said to play 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.

What is more, the CMA CGM Group intends to play “a pivotal role” in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) project. With a fleet adapted to alternative energy sources and key port hubs in India, the UAE, and the Mediterranean, CMA CGM aims to be a key contributor to the corridor’s efficiency.