The Ville de Bordeaux, a 5,200-dwt cargo vessel built in 2004, recently emerged with three new 22-meter-high sails installed.
The cargo vessel’s connection to the reinforcement of the suction sails were swiftly completed in less than two days. Chartered to Airbus by French shipowner Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA), the ship plays a crucial role in transporting A320 Family components from Europe to Airbus’ US factory in Mobile, Alabama.
The Ville de Bordeaux installation takes us one step closer to that goal. The sails look fantastic, and we look forward to seeing them in action. Along with our client Airbus we’re proud to be among the first movers in this space
… said Mathieu Muzeau, Transport & Logistic General Manager at LDA.
The eSAILs installation, developed by bound4blue, supports Airbus’ goal to reduce CO2 emissions from maritime logistics by 50% by 2030, based on a 2015 baseline. Additionally, LDA sees wind-assisted propulsion as a key solution to achieving their target of net-zero GHG emissions by 2050.
The fast installation process allowed the Ville de Bordeaux to depart on its maiden voyage with the eSAILs on March 3rd, en route to Mobile, where it is expected to arrive approximately two weeks later.
This installation is our fourth ship project and the first of a fixed suction sail on a ro-ro vessel. It proves that suction sails can be fitted on ships with a high weather deck and large windage area meeting all required stability criteria.
… commented CTO of bound4blue, David Ferrer
To remind, the International Windship Association (IWSA) has presented a white paper on wind propulsion, jointly endorsed by France, Solomon Islands, and the Union of Comoros. This document will be up for discussion at the upcoming meeting of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 81) scheduled for March at the International Maritime Organization.
