Aitecal and ALGIZ Security at the CMA CGM NOTRE DAME Inauguration: Intelligent Security for a Landmark Maritime Event
The inauguration of a new vessel is always a significant moment in the maritime world. On 2 July 2026, CMA CGM celebrated the naming of the CMA CGM NOTRE DAME in Le Havre, marking the official arrival of a new flagship in the Group’s fleet.
Measuring 400 metres in length, 62 metres in width and 75 metres in height, the CMA CGM NOTRE DAME can carry up to 24,212 TEUs—twenty-foot equivalent units. It is the largest containership currently operating under the French flag and the first in a series of ten next-generation vessels that will join the CMA CGM fleet between 2026 and 2028. Powered by liquefied natural gas, the vessel also incorporates advanced technologies relating to energy efficiency, digital navigation and artificial intelligence.
The ceremony brought together prominent representatives from the economic, political and maritime worlds. Guests included Brigitte Macron, Édouard Philippe, Mayor of Le Havre, Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the CMA CGM Group, and Delphine Arnault, the vessel’s godmother.
For an event of this profile, access control had to meet several requirements simultaneously: maintaining stringent security standards, accommodating the arrival of distinguished guests, respecting protocol and ensuring that the screening process remained discreet and efficient.
To support these objectives, ALGIZ Security deployed its security personnel alongside Evolv intelligent screening technology integrated by Aitecal. The combination of experienced security professionals and advanced detection technology helped provide guests with a controlled, fluid and welcoming arrival experience.
Maintaining Strong Security Without Creating Unnecessary Friction
Access control at a prestigious, invitation-only event presents specific operational challenges.
Security teams must verify authorised access, manage guests arriving in concentrated periods and identify situations requiring further inspection—all without creating excessive queues or disrupting the formal atmosphere of the ceremony.
Conventional screening procedures may require guests to stop, empty their pockets or undergo systematic manual checks. Although these methods remain relevant in certain situations, applying them to every guest can slow the entrance process and create unnecessary friction.
Evolv’s screening technology combines advanced sensors with artificial intelligence to identify objects that may represent a potential threat. The system is designed to allow guests to move through the screening area at a natural walking pace while helping operators determine who may require additional inspection and where a potential object may be located.
When an alert is generated, security professionals receive visual guidance that supports a more focused secondary check. Instead of carrying out the same procedure for every individual, teams can concentrate their attention on the situations that genuinely require intervention.
This approach helps preserve both the effectiveness of the security operation and the quality of the guest experience.
Combining Intelligent Detection With Human Expertise
Technology alone does not secure an event. Its effectiveness depends on how it is incorporated into the overall security plan and how it is used by trained professionals.
During the CMA CGM NOTRE DAME inauguration, ALGIZ Security’s agents remained at the centre of the access-control operation. They welcomed guests, supervised the screening process, assessed alerts and carried out any necessary secondary checks.
The Evolv solution provided an additional layer of information, while Aitecal’s integration supported its use within the operational procedures established for the ceremony.
This distribution of roles is essential. The technology assists security personnel, but does not replace their experience, judgement or responsibility. Evolv itself presents its systems as part of a layered security approach in which people, processes and technology work together, while screening policies and operational decisions remain the responsibility of the organisation and its security teams.
By directing personnel towards relevant alerts, the system can also help reduce repetitive and unnecessary inspections. Security agents can devote more attention to evaluating specific situations, interacting professionally with guests and responding appropriately whenever an alert requires resolution.
A Security Experience Consistent With the Prestige of the Event
At a high-profile corporate and institutional ceremony, security must be present without becoming the dominant part of the experience.
Guests should feel that access is professionally controlled, while still receiving a courteous and welcoming reception. Long queues, repeated instructions or unnecessarily intrusive procedures can affect the atmosphere of an event before it has even begun.
The cooperation between ALGIZ Security and Aitecal helped align the screening operation with the character of the inauguration. Guests were able to progress through the entrance area in a natural manner, while security professionals retained the ability to intervene when required.
This balance is particularly important when several groups arrive within a limited period. Even when attendance is carefully planned, the simultaneous arrival of official delegations, corporate representatives, partners and other invited guests can quickly create congestion around an entrance.
A fluid screening process helps reduce this pressure. It enables the security operation to absorb variations in arrival patterns while maintaining consistent procedures throughout the event.
Innovation Supporting Innovation
The CMA CGM NOTRE DAME represents a major technological and industrial achievement.
Its digitalised bridge, artificial-intelligence systems and energy-management technologies are designed to support navigation, operational performance and greater energy efficiency. The vessel has joined CMA CGM’s French Asia Line, connecting major Asian and Northern European ports on one of the world’s principal maritime trade routes.
It was therefore particularly appropriate for the vessel’s inauguration to be supported by a modern approach to security.
In both cases, technology is not an objective in itself. Its value comes from its ability to support qualified professionals, provide them with relevant information and help them perform their responsibilities more effectively.
On board the vessel, advanced systems assist the crew with navigation and operational decision-making. At the entrance to the ceremony, intelligent screening assisted security personnel in identifying and resolving situations requiring closer attention.
This reflects a broader development in event security. Effective access control is no longer simply a question of adding more checkpoints or carrying out more systematic searches. It involves applying the appropriate controls at the right moment, supporting staff with clear information and integrating each technology into a coherent security operation.
A Successful Collaboration Between ALGIZ Security and Aitecal
The inauguration of the CMA CGM NOTRE DAME demonstrated the value of combining specialised security personnel with intelligent detection technology.
ALGIZ Security brought the human expertise required to manage access, welcome guests and respond to alerts. Aitecal contributed its experience in integrating Evolv technology into an operational event environment.
Together, the teams supported an access-control process designed to be secure, efficient and appropriate for the prestige of the occasion.
For Aitecal, this deployment also illustrates the versatility of intelligent screening technology. Although such systems are frequently associated with festivals, stadiums and other high-attendance venues, they can also provide significant value at corporate, institutional and VIP events, where discretion, protocol and service quality are as important as operational efficiency.
The inauguration was ultimately a celebration of French maritime expertise, technological innovation and the future of international transport. Security enabled that celebration to take place under controlled conditions without becoming an obstacle for the invited guests.
Aitecal and ALGIZ Security thank CMA CGM for its trust and recognise the commitment of every team member who contributed to the successful delivery of the security operation.
Through the combination of professional security personnel, intelligent detection and carefully coordinated procedures, access control can become smoother, more focused and better suited to the expectations of today’s most prestigious events.
Photos credits : @cmacgm @aitecal @algizsecurity