The journey began in 1978 with the determination of one man: Jacques Saadé. He started CMA with four employees and a shipping line linking Marseille and Beirut. In less than 30 years, he led the Group to become a global leader in shipping.

CMA ships first crossed the Suez Canal in 1983. In 1986, CMA launched its first service between the Far East and Europe: the Red Sea Express.

A visionary leader, Jacques Saadé was the first among his peers to realize the immense potential of China, opening his first office in Shanghai in 1992.

A family-owned business, the Group has been built around men and women united by shared values: boldness, excellence, an exemplary approach and the imagination to grow the Group by acquiring CGM in 1996, ANL in 1998, Delmas in 2005, CNC in 2007, and APL in 2016.

Appointed CEO of CMA CGM in 2017, Rodolphe Saadé ushered the Group into a new era, accelerating its growth. He has made major decisions that have added a new dimension to the Group:

• The 2017 decision to use liquefied natural gas to power a series of 23,000-TEU container ships, and then a series of 15,000-TEU container ships.
• The acquisition of CEVA Logistics in 2019, which made CMA CGM a global player in shipping and logistics.
• The Group’s commitment in 2021 to achieve net-zero carbon by 2050 and spearhead the energy transition in maritime transport.
• The 2021 launch of CMA CGM AIR CARGO, which offers our customers new transport solutions across the entire supply chain.
• Having strengthened its e-commerce logistics expertise by acquiring Ingram CLS, the Group continued to develop in logistics in 2022 with the acquisition of Colis Privé (last mile) and the automotive logistics specialist GEFCO.
• Fully committed to innovation and the energy transition, CMA CGM Group laid the cornerstone for its innovation and training center TANGRAM, and created a Special Fund for Energies – a major commitment to developing energy-saving and energy-efficient solutions and daily mobility solutions for its employees.

Our sights set on the future as we continue to transform shipping and logistics by drawing from our recognized expertise, our boldness to break new ground, our boundless imagination, and our exemplary approach to every situation.
We believe that it is possible to find solutions that are more innovative, more responsible, and more respectful of human beings and the planet, and we are determined to open new ways, and better ways, for all of our customers, partners and employees.

Together we will continue to develop the CMA CGM Group through our commitment to BETTER WAYS.