The Solid Sail sailing demonstrator will be installed on the Chantiers de l'Atlantique site in 2022. -

Chantiers de l'Atlantique / Creasynth

  • The Solid Sail project consists of the manufacture of a very large sail capable of pulling large ships.

  • A demonstrator culminating at 95m high will be installed on land in Saint-Nazaire in 2022.

  • The Chantiers de l'Atlantique hope to quickly attract shipowners.

Well aware of the environmental issues posed by its enormous liners, Chantiers de l'Atlantique have been working for nearly ten years on the idea of ​​one day building cruise ships powered by the wind, and therefore by sails.

The project is moving forward and will take a decisive step with the production of a full-scale prototype and its installation on land in Saint-Nazaire in 2022, Laurent Castaing, boss of the shipbuilder announced on Tuesday.

The project, dubbed "Solid Sail", consists of the manufacture of a large sail in composite materials strong enough to pull a load as large as a large ship carrying passengers.

Made up of semi-rigid rolling panels, it will be hoisted and lowered like a fan, automatically.

Its carbon rig will feature a high mast capable of rotating 360 ° to adapt to the direction of the wind.

The mast itself would be tilted 70 degrees to "go under the bridges".

18 million euros spent

From the end of summer 2021, a demonstrator consisting of a tilting mast and a 500 m2 sail will be positioned on the ground on the Chantiers de l'Atlantique site.

It will be exposed to winds all winter then replaced, in 2022, by a rig with an 85 m mast and supporting a sail of around 1,200 m2.

“It will be visible from afar,” smiles Laurent Castaing.

Cost of the investment: 18 million euros.

A "considerable sum", supported for half by the Chantiers de l'Atlantique and, for the other half, by aid from the regional council of Pays-de-la-Loire, the regional council of Brittany, Ademe and from Europe.

"Without these aids, we would never have been at the end", considers Laurent Castaing.

Shipowners, including MSC, already interested

This velic propulsion is intended for liners about 200 m long, therefore smaller than the biggest mastodons out of Saint-Nazaire.

“Sailing will be added to conventional propulsion systems.

There will still be engines on passenger ships.

If only for safety and regulatory reasons, ”explains Laurent Castaing.

The expected reduction in CO2 emissions is estimated at 40%.

The Shipyards are banking on the demonstrator to attract shipowners and generate orders as quickly as possible.

"There are customers interested in the concept", assures confident Laurent Castaing.

The cruise line MSC, a long-standing client of Chantiers de l'Atlantique, is one of them.

But "Solid Sail" propulsion would present "so many advantages" that it could also be used for freight transport vessels or large pleasure craft.

In the best-case scenario, the first velic-powered liner would not be operational until 2025.

The project was carried out in partnership with a dozen manufacturers from Brittany and Pays-de-la-Loire.

Navigator Jean Le Cam, fourth in the last Vendée Globe, also provided his expertise.

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