The Solid Sail technology, designed and developed by French shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique, has been selected to propel Neoline’s first sailing cargo ship.
The Solid Sail rig, which consists of a foldable sail made of 100% composite materials and a mast will be the main propulsion system of the 136m long cargo ship. The rig will include two 76m masts and a total sail area of 3000m2.
The use of the Solid Sail technology on the first sailing cargo ship is believed to meaningfully contribute to the energy transition in maritime transport. With this first major milestone in the sector’s energy transition to wind power, Chantiers de l’Atlantique says that this augurs well for the expansion of Solid Sail rigs could spread to sectors beyond the cruise industry.
