CMA CGM Notre Dame, the world's largest LNG-powered container ship, departed Shanghai's Yangshan Port on May 24 for its maiden voyage on the China-Europe shipping route.

CMA CGM Notre Dame embarks on its maiden voyage from Yangshan Port. [Photo/CMA CGM]

Measuring 400 meters in length, the vessel boasts a maximum capacity of over 24,000 twenty-foot equivalent units. It carried 9,350 TEUs of China-made goods, including electric vehicles and energy storage cabinets, during this inaugural trip.

Gu Haoyu, chief operating officer of CMA CGM China, hailed the route as a vital corridor connecting China and Europe, while highlighting the pivotal role of Shanghai Port in facilitating connectivity along the route.

Another fast maritime corridor serving China-US trade has also come into operation recently. China COSCO Shipping Corporation launched 14 new direct routes from the Far East to the US West Coast, cutting the shipping time from Shanghai to Seattle to as little as 18 days. 

As global shipping giants such as COSCO Shipping and CMA CGM continue to deploy ultra-large vessels through Yangshan, the deep-water port has become one of the world's busiest yet most efficient shipping hubs.