CMA CGM is transferring two more containerships into the Indian registry, according to officials in India. The Maritime Executive reported the development on April 29, 2026.

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The shipping company began moving vessels into the Indian flag last year to expand its presence in the country and comply with revised cabotage rules. Earlier this month, the CMA CGM Vila do Conde, a 33,434-dwt vessel built in 2009 with a capacity of 2,556 TEU, was transferred from the flag of Malta to India. The ship has operated for CMA CGM since 2023.

Papers have also been filed to transfer the CMA CGM Semarang from Malta to India, according to the Directorate of Shipping. That vessel, built in 2007, has a deadweight tonnage of 38,000 and a capacity of 2,700 TEU.

These two vessels will become the fifth and sixth containerships CMA CGM has moved into Indian registry. The effort began in April 2025 with the CMA CGM Victoria, a 33,434-dwt ship with a capacity of 2,592 TEU. Subsequent transfers included the CMA CGM Mendelssohn (3,534 TEU), CMA CGM Diamond (3,700 TEU), and CMA CGM Manaus (2,592 TEU), with the last transfer completed at the beginning of 2026.

The moves are partly a response to India’s cabotage regulatory changes, which restrict foreign-flagged ships from carrying domestic cargo. In January 2026, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways ended a 2018 exemption that had allowed foreign ships to transship laden containers for export, empties, and agricultural and horticultural products. India is rolling back cabotage exemptions as part of an effort to strengthen its domestic shipping industry.

CMA CGM was the first major carrier to shift vessels into Indian registry. Maersk followed with two ships. MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company is reportedly planning to register 12 ships in India, while Hapag-Lloyd will register four. The regulations also require that ships registered in India employ Indian seafarers. CMA CGM earlier in 2026 said it already employs 1,000 Indian seafarers and expects to increase that number to 1,500 by the end of the year.

India’s shipping rules bar vessels older than 20 years from entering the registry. CMA CGM is moving these ships into the registry to bypass that age restriction, as once registered in India, ships can continue operating until age 30. Existing ships in the register are permitted to operate until 2029, with a possible extension to 2031.

CMA CGM also signed a newbuild contract with India’s Cochin Shipyard in February 2026. The plan calls for six 1,700 TEU vessels powered by LNG. The first new ship is expected for delivery by February 2029.

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