The French maritime company Neoline designed and built the 446-foot-long Neoliner Origin as a new model of wind-powered shipping. They say the Neoliner Origin reduces CO2 emissions by 80% compared to a traditional ship of its size. The company’s goal is to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2050.
“Until now, sailing ships could only transport modest volumes. Neoline is changing the game: entire containers can now be transported by sail, offering a concrete and scalable alternative to cargo ships powered by heavy fuel oil,” says company president Jean Zanuttini.
Neoline was formed by a group of French Merchant Navy officers joined together by ro-ro ship captain Michel Péry. Their common goal was to “create and optimize new propulsion methods to improve their environmental performance” as climate change loomed. Wind propulsion is immediately available and efficient enough to power cargo vessels, the company says.