The CMA CGM Notre Dame, the largest containership currently sailing under the French flag, has departed on its maiden commercial voyage from Shanghai, China, bound for Europe.

The vessel, the first of ten LNG-powered ships in its series, is due to arrive in France in early July, at which point it will be formally named at a ceremony in Le Havre on 2 July.

Measuring 400 metres in length, 62 metres wide and 75 metres tall, the Notre Dame is designed to carry up to 24,212 TEU.

Notably, the vessel stands taller than the Parisian cathedral after which it takes its name. On board, a crew of 30 operates the ship, which is painted in CMA CGM's dark blue corporate livery.

The Notre Dame has been deployed on CMA CGM's French Asia Line (FAL), a strategic service connecting Asia and Northern Europe.

Its rotation of approximately 102 days encompasses calls at Ningbo, Shanghai, Yantian, Singapore, Le Havre, Rotterdam, Hamburg and Tangier Med.

During its Singapore port call, 13 cranes worked continuously over a 12-hour window to load the vessel, with supplies and bunker deliveries also carried out whilst alongside.

The ship incorporates artificial intelligence, digital navigation systems and energy-efficiency technologies, developed to improve operational performance and advance the decarbonisation of maritime transport.