In August 2023 Canopée set sail from the harbour in Caen to test EU-funded wingsails to prepare for its first journey across the Atlantic equipped with 4 Oceanwings®. The development and testing of the Oceanwings® of the French company AYRO’s as well as the communication related to this project have been at the very heart of the WINNEW project supported by the European Maritime and Fisheries fund (EMFF). The automated, lowerable and patented vertical wingsails measure 37m in height and have a surface area of 363m2 each.
Aiming to contribute to the transformation of the shipping industry and to lead its decarbonation, this installation of the first four Oceanwings® on Canopée end of July 2023 represents the climax of the WINNEW project since its launch in September 2021.
Canopée is much more than a commercial vessel: it has been built to deliver Ariane 6 launcher parts from European ports to the Pariacabo port in Kourou, French Guiana. Oceanwings® make Canopée the most advanced transport ship in history in terms of hybrid wind propulsion since it has been entirely designed and optimised with this specific objective. Thus, it is an important catalyst for the decarbonation of the maritime industry.
After a phase of trials alongside the quayside, the performance and technical aspects of the wingsails are currently tested at sea to allow a final validation before the WINNEW project ends. The ship is planned to start its rotations from European ports across the Atlantic to Kourou, French Guiana, in the coming weeks.
