Vanguard Renewables announced a commercial partnership with the CMA CGM Group aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from maritime shipping.
As part of the agreement, CMA CGM will make a strategic minority investment in Vanguard Renewables through its PULSE energy fund.
The investment secures access to long-term volumes of renewable natural gas (RNG) from Vanguard’s facilities in the United States, with up to four projects dedicated to CMA CGM production.
According to the companies, RNG generated from farm and organic waste through Vanguard’s anaerobic digesters will provide CMA CGM with low carbon intensity fuel for its fleet.
The agreement follows the International Maritime Organization’s Net-zero Framework, which requires shipowners to lower fuel emissions or face penalties. The partnership is also framed as a step toward bioLNG as a transitional fuel in the shipping industry.
Vanguard Renewables is a U.S.-based environmental services company headquartered in Weston, Massachusetts. It develops and operates on-farm anaerobic digesters that convert food, beverage, and agricultural waste into renewable natural gas. Vanguard Renewables is a portfolio company of Global Infrastructure Partners, part of BlackRock.
CMA CGM Group is a French multinational shipping and logistics company headquartered in Marseille. It operates in sea, land, air, and logistics services and is among the world’s largest container shipping groups. The company is privately held and controlled by the Saadé family.