CMA CGM gives 10 boxships nose jobs

The French liner carrier said it will retrofit the vessels with bulbous bows as part of its effort to improve efficiency and reduce emissions.    French liner carrier CMA CGM Group said it will retrofit 10 more vessels with bulbous bows as part of its ongoing effort to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions of its containership fleet.
   The bow exchanges can be completed in a week at ship repair yards, the company said. 
   Bulbous bows are submersed once installed on the vessels.  
   “Because of their influence on the vessel’s wave resistance, [the bulbous bow] design has a major impact on the vessel hydrodynamic efficiency,” CMA CGM explained. “They were initially designed for 24 knots sailing speed. Following the implementation of the slow steaming, the group’s vessels now sail at speeds between 16 to 18 knots. Bulbous bows have therefore been redesigned.”
   CMA CGM said the 10 new vessels to receive the bulbous bows will join 15 others in its fleets that received the retrofits in 2013 and this year.
   All vessels that have entered the CMA CGM fleet in 2014 are sailing with optimized bulbous bows.