Shanghai International Shipping Institute

FRENCH shipping giant CMA CGM celebrated its 40th birthday on Thursday September 13, commemorating what the Marseilles-based company regards as a "unique entrepreneurial story".

Forty years ago, the late Jacques Saade launched the first maritime line between Marseilles and Beirut, with only one ship and four employees.

"This day marked the beginning of an extraordinary humane and entrepreneurial adventure. Forty years later, CMA CGM has become a recognised world leader, with 34,000 employees and a presence in more than 160 countries," said the company's celebratory press release.

Mr Saade, in the midst of the raging Lebanese civil war, decided to move to Marseilles to protect his family, already anticipating the growth international trade and the role of containers with the launch of Compagnie Maritime d'Affretement (CMA).

In 1983, the Ville de Sahara became the first CMA vessel to traverse the Suez Canal, "paving the way towards the Orient. This was followed in 1986 by the launch of a line linking Northern Europe to the Far-East. Convinced that China would become the world's factory, Mr Saade created his first Shanghai-based CMA maritime agency in 1992.

Combining a development strategy with targeted acquisitions such as CGM in 1996, ANL in 1998, Delmas in 2005, APL in 2016, and more recently Sofrana and Mercosul in 2017, the group has been expanding its presence on key markets throughout the years.

CMA CGM started building the CMA CGM Tower in 2006 in Marseilles, now a landmark in the city.

Today headed by Rodolphe Saade, the CMA CGM is pursuing its development around five strategic priorities: ''Customer Centricity'' by creating real innovative partnerships with customers as well as the launch of new offers like Serenity, Reeflex and Climactive, the most advanced technology for the transportation of highly sensitive fruits and vegetables by active controlled atmosphere.

The third development is the inland sector, namely the acquisition of a stake of 25 per cent in CEVA to propose a complete range of services as well as innovation and digitisation. This includes the ZeBox start-up incubator and accelerator initiated by CMA CGM, that will soon open its doors in Marseilles and finally, profitability.

CMA CGM is also committed to the protection of the environment with its reduction of 50 per cent in carbon emissions and its the goal of an additional 30 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions for 2025.

CMA CGM is committed to support of disadvantaged children through its corporate foundation. Run by Naila Saade, the foundation has been supporting more than 200 projects in France and Lebanon since its creation in 2005.

"On this anniversary day, the 34,000 employees of the CMA CGM Group, on land and on all the seas of the globe, celebrate this unique adventure and the success of a family Group that was built around four core values, which have forged its force and identity: Initiative, Boldness, Integrity and Imagination," said the company statement.