Canopée Demonstrates Reliability of OceanWings Hybrid Sail Propulsion in Commercial Operations
Two years after entering service, Canopée—the world’s first cargo vessel equipped with four automated rigid OceanWings sails—has proven its effectiveness and significant fuel savings, according to the joint operators Jifmar and Zéphyr & Borée. The vessel supports the Ariane 6 space program, transporting rocket components between Europe and French Guiana.
Built at the Neptune shipyard in Poland, the 5,500 DWT Ro-Ro vessel completed its maiden voyage in December 2022. The OceanWings sails, installed in July 2023, feature a twin-element wing design measuring over 36 meters in height with a surface area of 363 m². Each sail can rotate and fold, with the front and rear elements adjusting independently to optimize wind capture.
Canopée, 122 meters in length, became the first large-scale hybrid sail-powered cargo ship and is now seen as a model for a new generation of wind-assisted propulsion systems. Over two years of service, the system has demonstrated 99.6% operational availability, proving its reliability for commercial shipping.
Operators report that each sail saves on average 1.3 tons of fuel per day, equivalent to 300 kW of engine power. Combined, the four sails save up to 5.2 tons of fuel daily, or 20.8 tons of CO₂ emissions. On a recent transatlantic voyage, Canopée achieved 2.2 tons of fuel savings per sail per day, or 510 kW per sail, while reaching speeds of up to 13.7 knots under sail power.
The performance of the system is expected to improve further with ongoing development of the OceanWings Software & AI platform. Alizés, which manages the vessel, is actively exploring the deployment of wing sail technology on additional and larger vessels, including for other commercial routes.
