The French shipping line and utility company have partnered to co-invest in the Salamander project that wants to set up a second-generation biomethane production plant in Le Havre.

The two plan to finalise their investment decision in late 2022. A funding request has been submitted to the European Commission's Innovation Fund.

Once inked and set in motion (backed up by a total investment of €150m), the Salamander project will gradually come online in 2026, producing 11kt of biomethane/year.

Dry biomass from local wood-waste sources and solid recovered fuel will feed the unit, producing biomethane via pyrogasification.

CMA CGM and ENGIE will use the Salamander project to help them tick off the 200kt/year renewable gas production target by 2028.

CMA CGM will use the output for propelling its gas-run fleet, which currently includes 30 dual-fuel 'e-methane-ready' ships, up to 77 by 2026-end. The shipping line wants to become net-zero carbon by mid-century.

Salamander follows ENGIE's decade-long research & development within the GAYA project, which has scrutinised the technical, economic, and environmental viability of producing renewable gas.

"Salamander is the first industrial ramp-up to emerge from the partnership, an advanced pilot helping to develop the renewable gas sector, in keeping with the goals of energy independence and the energy transition set forth by the European Commission in the RepowerEU plan," Christine Cabau Woehrel, EVP Assets and Operations, CMA CGM, commented.

Edouard Sauvage, ENGIE's EVP Infrastructure, added, "The scale of the project reflects our ambitions and accelerated development in renewable gas production. It demonstrates our ability to support leading companies in their transition to net zero. We are delighted and proud to be carrying out this initiative in partnership with CMA CGM, moving forward together in this important milestone in our efforts to promote the energies of the future."

Photo: ENGIE