French Maritime Giant CMA CGM to Invest $20B in US Expansion

WASHINGTON — French maritime giant CMA CGM announced Thursday that it will invest $20 billion over the next four years in infrastructure and supply chain improvements across the United States and create a massive new air cargo hub in Chicago, Illinois.

Standing alongside President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, CMA CGM Chairman and CEO Rodolphe Saadé said through the investment, his company intends to “significantly grow our U.S.-flagged fleet, expand the capacity of key container ports on both coasts, and develop state-of-the-art warehousing across the country” in addition to creating the Chicago air cargo facility.

Together, he said, these projects will create 10,000 new jobs, “and further strengthen our partnership with American customers and public authorities.”

Saadé didn’t stop there, however. He also previewed a future announcement, to be made in the next several weeks, suggesting CMA CGM will soon be building cargo container ships in the United States.

“Investments like this are so important because when it comes to shipping, we lost our way for many years,” Trump said.

“We haven’t done anything. We used to build a ship a day and now, we essentially don’t build ships at all,” he said.

With that, Trump also tipped a future announcement — coming likely “next week or the week after,” he said — that his administration is going to start “a massive new program” to kick-start the private shipbuilding industry in the United States.

“It’ll have to do with incentives, and so forth … and people will come in from all over the world to build very large ships here, just like they have with cars,” Trump said.

As for the news of the day, as explained on the company’s website, CMA CGM will develop port infrastructure in key locations across the U.S., including New York, Los Angeles, California, Dutch Harbor, Alaska, Houston, Texas, and Miami, Florida. 

“These investments will contribute to efficient operations and supply chains, accelerated digitization and improved connectivity, and increased safety for port workers and cargo,” the announcement says.

At the same time, CMA CGM will be building out a network of state-of-the-art warehousing and automotive logistics platforms across the country, which it says will help ensure the security and reliability of the domestic supply chain, while also advancing U.S. leadership in logistics.

Finally, in addition to building its Chicago air cargo hub, the company will deploy five new Boeing 777 freighters — flown by American pilots — “to strengthen U.S. trade and connectivity and ensure the reliable transport of critical and time-sensitive goods,” the announcement said.

Finally, the company said, it will open a new logistics R&D hub in Boston, Massachusetts, focusing on advanced robotics and automation solutions developed in collaboration with “leading American technology partners.”

All of this, Saadé said, will be accompanied by other “targeted investments” intended to “enhance maritime resources with new jobs, skills and technologies.”

“Congratulations on your great success,” Trump said following Saadé’s remarks. 

Turning to the reporters in the room, the president said Saadé and his father Jacques Saadé had built “one of the great shipping empires of the world.”

Headquartered at the CMA CGM Tower in Marseille, France, the company is now the third-largest container shipping company on the planet.

“It’s a fantastic company,” Trump said. “And it’s an honor to have you.”

CMA CGM Group has been building its presence in the United States over the past 35 years, and it now operates in 40 states, while employing about 15,000 people.

As a leading partner in U.S. trade, CMA CGM transports over 5 million shipping containers to and from the country each year. 

Dan can be reached at [email protected] and @DanMcCue