Jifmar Sail-assisted cargo ship

Jifmar chooses Dutch yard for sail-assisted vessel

Neptune Shipyard

Further to the story in Caribbean Maritime issue 39 and somewhat later than originally planned, French shipowner Jifmar Guyane has now selected the Dutch shipyard Neptune to build its revolutionary sail-assisted vessel Canopée.

When delivered in 2022, Canopée will operate for the ArianneGroup between Europe and the Kourou Spaceport in French Guiana/Guyane located some 60km from Cayenne.

The vessel will actually be managed by Alizés (a joint venture between Jifmar Offshore Services and fellow French firm Zéphyr & Borée) which had previously won a maritime transport tender from ArianeGroup. The Canopée is specially designed to transport the Ariane 6 – the latest launcher from ArianeGroup and which is being built in Europe. The first test flight of Ariane 6 is set for 2Q 2022.

Concept

The construction of the 121-meter length vessel will take place at Neptune’s Hardinxveld-Giessendam yard in the Netherlands and also in Poland. To fulfil the original design concept, Neptune approached Groot Ship Design, a firm specializing in ‘Open Top’ cargo vessels which is also located in the Netherlands and Poland. This was based on the original architectural project completed by VPLP design which had enabled Alizés to win the ArianeGroup tender.

Ayrowhich, a VPLP Design subsidiary, will supply the wing-sails for the ship. The vessel will be equipped with four wing-sails which together cut fuel consumption by around 30 per cent. The wing-sails, measuring in total 1,450 m2, will mean a reduction of up to 7,200 tons of CO2 a year compared to a ship of the same size fitted with standard propulsion.