Sailing logistics gains momentum

Maritime freight transport is one of the largest emitters of CO2. It accounts for 16% of freight emissions, but 70% of ton-kilometers transported. The fuel used until now is a viscous, unrefined petroleum residue that is heavy and difficult to burn; its combustion releases a cocktail of greenhouse gases responsible for global warming.

In its annual report, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) stresses that, if the maritime transport sector is to meet its commitments to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, it will need to overhaul its practices, starting with the energy used—particularly by the more than 50,000 merchant vessels worldwide. One solution now under consideration is to fit them with sails, using wind as a means of propulsion. The good news is that the systems needed to harness wind power “can be installed on all types of merchant vessels,” says Amaury Bolvin, co-founder and CEO of Zéphyr et Borée, a shipping company specializing in low-carbon vessels and a pioneer of sail-powered maritime transport.

Maritime freight transport accounts for 90% of global trade by volume and 80% by value and is expected to continue its growth in the years ahead. In 2023, maritime freight passing through French ports totaled 326 million tons traded. Decarbonizing this mode of transport will therefore have a significant impact on the carbon footprint of commercial activity, in France and elsewhere.

“According to our various simulations, hybrid vessels such as those we are having built, equipped with sails as well as an engine, can reduce fuel consumption by 20% to 60%,” says Amaury Bolvin. When it was founded in 2017, Zéphyr et Borée chose a solution combining conventional diesel propulsion with a wind-powered propulsion system. “To do this, we worked with VPLP, a naval architecture firm; its subsidiary Ayro, a sail manufacturer for merchant shipping; and D-Ice Engineering, developer of a routing system that optimizes the vessel’s route to make the best use of the wind and ensure an on-time arrival in port.” In October 2023, the vessel “Canopée” was launched, following a tender issued by Ariane Group in 2020 and won by Zéphyr et Borée in 2022. “They were looking for a transport solution for the Ariane 6 rocket, from Bremen in Germany, with stops in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, Le Havre and Bordeaux, before arriving in Kourou, French Guiana.” The vessel is equipped with four vertical wings which, combined with an engine, reduce its carbon footprint by 15% to 40%, depending on weather conditions. Nine to 12 voyages per year are planned.

Following this initial success, two other projects have emerged: “WinCoop,” with a capacity of 150 TEUs, which will operate crossings between Marseille and three ports in Madagascar every 60 days from 2027 and will be managed by a cooperative of around 20 shippers; and “Williwaw,” with a capacity of 1,200 TEUs, resulting from a tender issued by a coalition of 20 shippers, for a route between Europe and the United States calling at Antwerp, Le Havre, Philadelphia and Charleston. “For this project, three vessels will be built by the end of 2027, with departures planned every 10 days.” For both hybrid-vessel projects, propulsion will be provided primarily by sails, assisted by an engine. By 2029, eight Zéphyr et Borée vessels, including one for out-of-gauge cargo (to transport Ariane 6), are expected to be sailing the seas.

Zéphyr et Borée is not the only company to have entered this market. Others, including Towt, Grain de Sail, Vela and Neoline, have identified the same potential. Towt (TransOceanic Wind Transport), founded in 2011, has so far operated 19 sailing vessels on five shipping routes, transporting high-value goods such as cocoa, rum, tea and coffee. These vessels are refurbished traditional rigs made faster. A larger-capacity cargo sailboat—the equivalent of approximately 70 TEUs—has since been launched, and six more are expected to follow shortly. Vela, a company founded in 2022 that has also opted for 100% sail-powered transport, has just raised €40 million (75% of which is in the form of bank loans) to build its first trimaran, with a capacity of 600 pallets—equivalent to approximately 52 TEUs—which will make its first crossing to the United States by 2026. “Our trimaran is intended to transport high-value goods in the cosmetics, health, wine and spirits sectors,” explains Pierre-Arnaud Vallon, one of Vela’s five founders. “We aim to offer the same standards of reliability, lead times and safety as air freight.”

Vela’s vessels will be equipped with at least 300 m² of photovoltaic panels and two hydro-generators to provide all the energy needed, notably for the refrigerated holds that will ensure the cold chain remains intact during crossings. “By 2050, maritime transport will account for 17% of polluting emissions,” comments Pierre-Arnaud Vallon. “It is therefore urgent to consider not only the energy used to move these vessels, but also the issue through the lens of life-cycle assessment (LCA). Our vessels have been designed to last as long as possible, beyond the 25 years generally assigned to ‘conventional’ container ships. We are also considering their recyclability, to minimize their overall carbon footprint.”

These projects have received various forms of support, most notably from Banque des Territoires, one of the divisions of Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations. “We have already committed around €10 million to three of the projects currently under way,” explains Claire Fonade, investment director in Banque des Territoires’ Transport division. “Our role is to support changes in local areas, notably through the deployment of new mobility solutions aligned with the public interest, along two lines: the ecological transition and social cohesion.” This financial support is granted only to companies that can demonstrate their economic viability: availability of equipment, proven technology, and a sufficient load factor to ensure the project’s economic balance, among other criteria. Nevertheless, for Claire Fonade, “the momentum appears to be there and the barriers to entry are beginning to fall.”