Vietnamese firm delivers 1,000 containers to French shipping giant CMA CGM

This is the first order between the two companies and the first time CMA CGM has used containers made in Vietnam, said Vu Duc Sinh, director of Hoa Phat Container Production JSC.

Hoa Phat said the containers were made from SPA-H hot-rolled steel coils, which have high weather resistance and meet strict international standards.

The steel was sourced directly from Hoa Phat’s Dung Quat iron and steel complex in Quang Ngai Province, central Vietnam, helping the company maintain control over quality and production schedules.

The manufacturing process was closely supervised by CMA CGM’s technical team and independent inspection organizations.

Amelie Humphreys, general director of CMA CGM Vietnam, said the partnership helps the shipping line secure container supplies in Vietnam, reduce turnaround times, optimize costs, and increase flexibility in its regional logistics network.

Headquartered in France, CMA CGM operates more than 650 vessels, serving 420 ports across five continents and transporting over 23 million TEUs in 2024.

CEVA Logistics, a subsidiary of CMA CGM, is among the world’s top five logistics firms, managing 1,000 warehouses and handling 15 million shipments annually.

Other major players have also turned to Vietnam for containers.

Germany’s largest shipping company Hapag-Lloyd recently ordered 2,000 units of 20-foot containers from Hoa Phat.

In May this year, Hoa Phat signed a contract to supply 1,000 containers to VIMC Container Transport JSC, or VIMC Lines, a subsidiary of Vietnam Maritime Corporation.

Hoa Phat’s factory is currently operating at a capacity of 200,000 TEUs per year, with plans to expand to 500,000 TEUs once the full project is completed.

This will make it the largest container manufacturer in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

While several Vietnamese companies such as Vinafco and Ratraco own containers, production capacity remains modest.

Previous domestic container manufacturing attempts failed due to high costs, lack of raw material control, and difficulties in meeting international standards.