NORFOLK, Va., May 24, 2005 -- The fifth largest shipping company in the world and number one in France is celebrating the inauguration of its North American headquarters in Norfolk, VA with the donation of a mermaid with a mace topped with the British Crown. A mace is a ceremonial staff which is the symbol of authority of a legislative body.

BUT THIS IS NO ORDINARY MACE. The British crown adorns the top of the silver Norfolk Mace with the British Royal Arms as borne by King George II on a disk beneath it and around its head are the arms of Great Britain and emblems of the lands traditionally claimed by the British monarchs. The Norfolk Mace was presented to the acting Royal Governor of Virginia Robert Dinwiddie in 1754.

THE IRONY. Dinwiddie's efforts to enforce Great Britain's claim to the Ohio Valley ultimately had the unintended consequence of American Independence for he began the French and Indian War and gave a young Virginian named George Washington his first military officer's commission.

The French avenged the loss of Canada by aiding the Americans in the War for Independence and the Norfolk Mace, hidden during Revolution from the British, was carried in a parade that celebrated the Fourth of July and Virginia's ratification of the new Federal Constitution.

CMA CGM is donating the Norfolk Mace Mermaid in honor of their new North American headquarters. The mermaid will be positioned outside Norfolk's Chrysler Museum, home to the original mace. She is ten feet long, painted silver and the scales on her tail are formed by copies of tickets to the different performing arts in Norfolk. She joins the other 400 Mermaids On Parade in the city, which are part of the City's fundraising campaign to provide funds for 48 local charitable and arts organizations.

Mr. Jacques Saade, Chairman of the Executive Board of CMA CGM, says, "The CMA CGM mermaid statue rekindles those warm feelings between the United States and France that have endured through centuries. We are proud to present her to Norfolk, Virginia along with the creation of 400 jobs."

CMA CGM's new 4-story, 90,000 square foot headquarters on seven acres accommodates 450 employees and contains state-of-the art electronic and environmental technologies.

CMA CGM led by its founder, Jacques R. Saade, is the 5th largest worldwide container shipping line. The group operates a modern fleet of 182 vessels serving over 76 major routes, of which 21 are to and from the USA. In 2004, the group transported 3.9 million containers (TEUs) with a turnover of 4 billion euros (5.2 Billion US $). With more than 200 ports of call in 126 countries and 400 offices around the world (including 54 in China), CMA CGM has a strong worldwide network offering one of the largest scopes of origins and destinations to its customers. The 8,000 CMA CGM staff members around the world (of which 500 are in the US) show commitment, skills, know-how and creativity to meet all its customers' requirements.

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