on November 8, 2023, the construction has begun on the first sailing roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessel ordered by French startup Neoline Armateur. The first steel of the new sailing ship was cut at RMK Marine’s shipyard in Tuzla, Turkey.
The Neoliner, a 136-meter-long sail-powered RoRo ship, is scheduled to enter into service in June 2025. It will operate a transatlantic rotation between the ports of Saint-Nazaire, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Baltimore and Halifax, departing every month from 2025.
The newbuilding has a loading capacity of 1,200 linear meters, or 265 20′ containers, for a maximum cargo weight of 5,300 tonnes. On the passenger side, the Neoliner can also accommodate 12 people in six double cabins, in addition to the 13 crew members.
Neoliner is equipped with innovative technological features, such as its two 76-meter folding carbon Solidsail masts, with a 3,000-square meter sail area developed by Chantiers de l’Atlantique, as well as retractable anti-drift plans and a particularly efficient weather routing system. This equipment, coupled with a speed reduction to 11 knots (versus 15 knots on a conventionally propelled vessel), should ensure that the main propulsion is by sail, saving up 80% to 90% of fuel (and associated emissions).
The construction of the ship will be followed by key milestones, such as the laying of the first block in the first half of 2024, the launch of the ship scheduled for the end of 2024, and the commissioning in June 2025, which will be followed by the opening of the new transatlantic line between St-Nazaire (Montoir) and the American East Coast (Halifax/Baltimore), including two calls at St-Pierre et Miquelon.