One of the most distinctive new cargo ships has made its first call in Belgium. The wind-powered Ro-Ro vessel Neoliner Origin arrived at PSA Zeebrugge, which has become a new port of call on its regular transatlantic service.
The 136-metre vessel is operated by French shipping company Neoline. The project is supported by CMA CGM, which offers the service to shippers seeking to reduce emissions across their supply chains.
With the addition of Zeebrugge, the Neoliner Origin route now connects Belgium, Montoir-de-Bretagne, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, Baltimore and Halifax. The new call provides shippers from Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and northern France with direct access to the transatlantic service.
A complete round voyage is expected to take approximately five weeks during summer and six weeks during winter, allowing the vessel to perform around 10 round trips per year.
The main feature of Neoliner Origin is its use of wind as the primary source of propulsion. The vessel is equipped with two foldable carbon SolidSail masts and approximately 3,000 square metres of sail area. An auxiliary diesel-electric propulsion system supports navigation and manoeuvring when wind conditions are insufficient.
Operating at a commercial speed of around 11 knots, the vessel can transport rolling cargo, containers and oversized freight. According to Neoline, its design can reduce fuel consumption by more than 80% compared with an equivalent conventional vessel operating without sails at 15 knots.
The first call of Neoliner Origin at Zeebrugge marks the beginning of regular monthly visits to the Belgian port. The expansion demonstrates how wind propulsion is gradually moving beyond experimental projects and into commercial cargo services between Europe and North America.
