French Companies Develop a Feeder Ship with Auxiliary Sails

Several French companies, including the freight forwarder LD Freight Solutions, a subsidiary of Louis Dreyfus Armateurs; the consultants Alwena Shipping and the naval architecture firm VPLP Design, have joined forces to develop a small container ship for feeder traffic with auxiliary wind propulsion.

This project, named Trade Wings 2,500, corresponds to a container ship measuring 197 m in length, 32,500 TPM, and capable of carrying 2,500 TEU. The auxiliary wind propulsion system consists of six rigid wing-type sails, each with a sail area of 363 m².

The sails would have a vertical sliding system that would allow them to be partially retracted during port operations.

The main propulsion of the ship would be handled by a hybrid electric system with a generator powered by LNG, although the project also considers the possibility of adapting to 'green' fuels in the future such as methanol, ammonia, or hydrogen. Bureau Veritas granted these propulsion systems an Approval in Principle (AiP) in May 2021.

The Trade Wings 2,500 project is designed for short-distance traffic but could operate on transatlantic routes adapting to each client's needs. On such a route, approximately 4,000 miles, this ship could save 35% of equivalent CO₂ emissions compared to a conventional ship (two-stroke engine, single shaft, and no sails, operating at the same speed).

Photo: provided