Delmas was a major French shipping company, founded in 1867 by Frank and Julien Delmas as Delmas Frères, focusing initially on the transport of coal and raw materials from La Rochelle[1].
By the early 20th century, Delmas had expanded to international shipping routes, especially concentrated between Europe and Africa, becoming the largest cargo carrier between these regions and holding the distinction of being Europe’s oldest extant shipping line before its integration into CMA CGM[2].
The company’s operations included a fleet of 49 vessels with a collective capacity of 63,000 TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) serving 15 major routes linking Europe, Africa, and the Indian Ocean[2]. Delmas specialized in both containerized freight and roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) shipping, catering predominantly to Africa-European trade[1].
After initial success in local maritime transport and European-African cargo operations, Delmas expanded its network of branches and shipping lines throughout the 20th century[3]. Despite suffering significant losses during World War II, the company steadily rebuilt its operations and modernized its fleet, becoming a pioneer in French commercial automation[3].
The Bolloré Group acquired Delmas in a hostile takeover in 1996, which led to several restructures and a loss in market share[1]. In September 2005, the company was sold to CMA CGM for €470 million, with the agreement that no staff would be made redundant and the Le Havre offices would be retained[1]. In March 2016, CMA CGM announced the full integration of Delmas, dissolving the Delmas brand to unify its African maritime activities under a single corporate identity[1].