Neoliner Origin, the innovative sailing cargo vessel built for NEOLINE, has successfully completed its first commercial loading — a major milestone in the development of wind-powered maritime transport.
On Saturday, the vessel made a strategic stop in Bastia while en route from RMK Marine shipyard in Turkey to its home port of Saint-Nazaire, France. During this stop, 315 vehicles for client Filpar were loaded on board and discharged the following day in Marseille.
This operation took place only a few days after Neoliner Origin left Turkey at the end of September, following completion of construction at RMK Marine. “The final sea trials showcased the vessel’s full capabilities, and the official handover was successfully completed last Friday with the raising of the French flag,” NEOLINE stated.
Construction of the 136-meter ro-ro vessel began in January 2023 in Turkey, representing the culmination of a concept first envisioned in 2015, when NEOLINE was founded with the mission of becoming “the world’s first shipowner dedicated to modern ro-ro cargo vessels powered primarily by wind and sails.”
The ship is equipped with two foldable carbon-fiber masts featuring the Solidsail Rig System, manufactured at the French yard Chantiers de l’Atlantique. Each 76-meter mast supports 3,000 square meters of rigid sails. With a deadweight capacity of 6,300 tons, Neoliner can carry up to 321 cars, 265 TEU (20-foot containers), or 125 FEU (40-foot containers).
NEOLINE Armateur, founded in 2021 as the operating shipowner, secured €60 million in financing from both public and private partners, including investments from French shipping giant CMA CGM.
Looking ahead, NEOLINE plans to operate its vessels on routes linking Saint-Nazaire with Saint Pierre and Miquelon (Newfoundland), Baltimore (Maryland), and Halifax (Nova Scotia). Among the company’s first clients are Renault Group, Beneteau Group, Manitou Group, Michelin, Jas Hennessy & Co, Clarins, Longchamp, and Rémy Cointreau.
