Graphic: NEOLINE
Neoline, a French designer and operator of cargo sailing ships, is partnering with car manufacturer Groupe Renault, heavy equipment builder Manitou, and boat builder Groupe Beneteau, to build two 136-meter ro-ros, each with 4,200 square meters of sail area and 4,200 kW auxiliary diesel-electric propulsion. The ships, with a capacity for 478 cars, will have a speed of 11 knots and will serve routes between Saint-Nazaire, the eastern seaboard of the United States and Saint-Pierre Miquelon. The design has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 90 percent through the use of wind power, combined with an optimized speed and energy mix.
The two ships will be built by the Loire-based shipyard Neopolia S.A.S. The construction of the first ship is scheduled to begin at the end of 2019, with a launch scheduled for the end of 2021.
Jean-Philippe Hermine, vice president, strategic environmental planning Groupe Renault, stated: “Groupe Renault’s objective is to reduce the environmental impact of each vehicle throughout its entire life cycle, from parts transportation up to delivery and end-of-life processing. In the context of our strategy to explore new sustainable mobility solutions and to continue along the road to reducing our carbon footprint, the solution designed by Neoline, which combines energy efficiency and operational relevance, has truly captured our attention”
Are the ships to be named Nicole and Papa?
It opens the question as to how many cars could fit on Saint-Pierre Miquelon?
Good question Jean-Pierre
Amazing how history repeats itself.
Sailing ships started with sail. Then steam and other forms of propulsion. Now, people are starting to realize that sail power is still profitable. As a way to cut down on the costs of fuel.