CMA CGM will deploy a 156-TEU electric barge on the Fos-Lyon route by 2028, alongside a EUR40 million upgrade of Lyon Rhone Terminal.
CMA CGM will introduce a 156-TEU electric and hybrid river barge on the Fos-Lyon corridor by 2028, alongside a EUR40 million (US$43 million) upgrade of Lyon Rhone Terminal, reports Saint Petersburg's PortNews.
The Europe-built vessel will be 185 metres long with a capacity of 156 TEU, designed to handle close to 12,000 TEU annually as part of the Mediterranean-Rhone-Saone inland logistics corridor.
CMA CGM is in advanced talks with Combronde for the operation and commercial deployment of the service. Charging stations are planned in Lyon and Arles, with works coordinated by regional authorities and European funding.
The EUR40 million (US$43 million) programme will modernise river and multimodal facilities at Lyon Rhone Terminal over two years, reinforcing links between Marseille-Fos, Lyon, and the Rhone Valley.
By 2030, CMA CGM aims to lift river traffic to 100,000 TEU a year and rail flows to 60,000 TEU, doubling multimodal throughput in Lyon. Two extra weekly barge rotations were added in December 2025 to improve competitiveness against road transport.
Only 20 per cent of freight on the Mediterranean-Rhone-Saone axis currently moves off-road, with five per cent by river and 15 per cent by rail, underscoring the modal shift targeted through the barge and terminal upgrades.
CMA CGM, headquartered in Marseille, operates in 177 countries with a fleet of more than 650 vessels and integrated supply chain services spanning ports, logistics, and air cargo.
