The Neoliner Origin completed its first cargo handling and made history in shipping, proving that commercial sailing ships can return to the modern era.
NEOLINE took the big step, as its sailing cargo ship, the Neoliner Origin, completed its first loading and set sail for France.
This impressive ship travels by wind, something which until a few years ago you would call a romantic idea or something that could hardly be implemented in practice, but today it is reality.
The Origin set sail from the shipyard in Turkey at the end of September, and made a stop in Corsica. There it loaded 315 cars for the account of Filpar, which it unloaded in Marseille.
This was its first cargo handling and the moment it proved that a ship can make a commercial voyage without burning tons of fuel.
The final sea trials were completed without problems, and last Friday the official delivery took place, with the French flag raised on the mast. It was a moment of pride for all who worked on the project, from the engineers to the last workers.
As a person close to the sea, I always believed that the wind is not an enemy but an ally. And yet, I never imagined the day would come when we would see commercial sailing ships again.
I understand that this cannot happen on a large scale, nor is it possible to replace modern ship propulsion systems with sails. However, these ships can find a place in a specific number and on specific routes.
The Neoliner Origin is 136 meters long and has two huge folding carbon fiber masts, each 76 meters high, with sails covering a total of 3,000 square meters.
It can carry up to 6,300 tons of cargo, around 320 cars or several hundred containers, depending on the load.
The company, which started in 2015 with the goal of building ships powered by wind, managed to raise 60 million euros to realize its vision. Among its supporters was the French giant CMA CGM.
The ship will travel on a line connecting France with Canada and the United States, making stops in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Baltimore, and Halifax. Already major companies such as Renault, Michelin, Beneteau, and Hennessy have agreed to use the ship to transport their products.
On social media, NEOLINE spoke of a “historic moment.” It thanked all who believed in the plan, from the first clients to the technical teams and the financiers. As they characteristically wrote, “this is not just a ship, it is a new beginning.”
The Neoliner Origin is now traveling in the Mediterranean, destined for Saint-Nazaire, where it is expected to arrive on October 12. From there it will begin its first transatlantic voyage, and if all goes well, it will be only the beginning for a new way of maritime transport that is cleaner, quieter, more traditional, and closer to the spirit of the sea.
Looking back, I realize that the sea always found ways to remind us that nothing is permanent. Neither the ships, nor the engines, nor the eras…
The fact, however, that we would reach the year 2025 talking about commercial sailing ships, I consider something unexpected; and with the evolution of technology we do not know how far all this can go.
It would no longer surprise me if in 20-30 years there are autonomous commercial ships powered by wind. After all, we live in an era where everything is possible.
