Sail-Powered Neoliner Origin Prepares for Maiden Voyage
The Neoliner Origin, which is billed as the first large, mostly sail-powered cargo ship, has been delivered by its builders, RMK Marine in Turkey, to its owners in France. The vessel departed the shipyard in Tuzla, Turkey, on September 29 and, after interim port calls in the Mediterranean, arrived in Marseille today, October 6, before proceeding to its homeport of Saint-Nazaire and its first Atlantic crossing.
At 446 feet (136 meters) in length, the vessel has 3,000 square meters (over 32,000 square feet) of sail area with two rigid sails mounted on Solidsail rigs designed by Chantiers de l’Atlantique, and which will fold down for maneuvering in port. The plan calls for the vessel to operate mostly on wind power with a commercial speed of 11 knots. The design also incorporates anti-drift plans, designed by Fouré Lagadec.
The air draft is nearly 289 feet (88 meters) or reduces to approximately 138 feet (42 meters) when the rigs and sails are tilted. It also has a supplemental 4000 kW diesel-electric motor, which would give it a maximum speed of 14 knots. They expect to cut fuel use by 80 percent compared to conventional vessels. Neoliner Origin is 6,300 dwt and 13,278 gross tons.
The company considers the vessel a pilot for its long-term plan to develop a fleet of sail-powered cargo ships. The Neoliner Origin is scheduled to maintain monthly service departing from Montoir de Bretagne, France. The crossing is scheduled to take eight days to St-Pierre & Miquelon, French islands off the coast of Canada’s Newfoundland. The vessel will then proceed to Baltimore, Maryland, a 13-day trip from France. On the return, she will make stops in Halifax, Canada, St-Pierre & Miquelon, and Cork, Ireland.
Neoliner Origin during sea trials in Turkey (RMK Marine)
The Neoliner Origin is a Ro-Ro cargo ship with 1,200 lane meters for cargo, across three areas. The primary area is 1,150 square meters. The vessel can take light vehicles, including cars, as well as commercial vehicles, and farm, construction, or industrial equipment. Containers are loaded on trailers supplied by Neoline, which can carry up to two 40-foot or four 20-foot containers, including the ability to transport refrigerated containers. It can also transport oversized and bulky goods as well as pallets, boxes, and bags. The total cargo capability is 11,000 tonnes.
In addition to the cargo, the vessel has six double cabins (290 square feet each) to carry up to 12 passengers. The passenger cabins have a private balcony, and facilities aboard include large common areas (77 square meter passenger lounge and sun deck), and also including a gym and Wi-Fi connection. Meals will be in the officer’s wardroom. Neoliner Origin has a crew of 13.
As part of this first sailing, the Neoliner Origin stopped at the port of Bastia on the island of Corsica on Saturday, October 4. There she loaded 315 cars and transported them to Marseille as the vessel's first cargo.
First cargo going aboard the Neoliner for transport between Corsica and Marseilles (Neoline)
Neoline was started a decade ago and has drawn support from Renault, which will be a shipper, as well as CMA CGM as an investor. Steel cutting for the vessel began in November 2023 at RMK Marine in Turkey, and assembly of the ship began in 2024. The launch took place in January 2025.
The first sea trials in the Sea of Marmara were completed at the beginning of July, giving them the first opportunity to test maneuvering under real conditions. The second sea trials were completed at the beginning of September, and they reported that the vessel has excellent maneuverability and flexibility.
The maiden voyage was delayed by last-minute fine-tuning of the vessel, but the final sea trials were completed on September 22 and 23, and the handover on September 26. The maiden Atlantic departure is scheduled for October 15.