Wind propulsion bill : symbolic gesture or real accelerator ?

France’s proposed Wind Propulsion Bill was passed by the National Assembly on 12 May. By doing so, Members of Parliament formally recognised the key role of wind in decarbonising maritime transport while introducing new measures to support the development of a still-emerging industry. Although the bill must still complete the remainder of the legislative process, its supporters hope it will inspire similar initiatives across Europe. 

Objective : strengthen the industry’s economic competitiveness

The industry’s mobilisation has paid off. The bill aimed at accelerating the development of the wind propulsion sector was unanimously approved at first reading by the 175 MPs present on 12 May.

“Nobody believed it would happen anymore,” says Agnès Firmin Le Bodo, MP for Seine-Maritime, who introduced the bill alongside Jimmy Pahun, MP for Morbihan. “The proposal was rejected four times because it was considered less urgent than other issues. It took a full year, but we kept fighting.”

One of the bill’s most significant achievements is the legal definition of a wind-propelled vessel.

“France is the first country in the world to include such a definition in legislation,” explains Lise Detrimont, Secretary General of Wind Ship, the association representing 75 companies in the sector, which played a key role in preparing the legislation alongside parliamentarians. “This was essential if the industry is to gain access to stable support mechanisms needed for its long-term development.”

The bill distinguishes between two categories of vessels. Ships using auxiliary wind propulsion must obtain at least 5% of their propulsive energy from wind, while vessels classified as using primary wind propulsion must derive at least 50% of their propulsion from wind.

“Fifty percent is a simple threshold that everyone can understand,” says Lise Detrimont. “The calculation methodology will be defined by decree. Wind Ship hopes to contribute by proposing the three internationally recognised methods currently used to assess wind propulsion performance. None is perfect, but they provide a solid starting point. Defining the methodology through secondary legislation also makes it easier to improve over time.”

Beyond establishing definitions, the bill’s core objective is to strengthen the industry’s economic competitiveness.

“The exemption from employer social security contributions for crews operating vessels powered primarily by wind, together with the creation of a maritime decarbonisation fund financed through revenues from the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), are particularly important measures,”* says Agnès Firmin Le Bodo.

The bill also introduces several additional financial incentives designed to improve the sector’s business case. These include an enhanced green tax depreciation scheme allowing companies to deduct more than the actual investment cost of building a vessel or purchasing wind propulsion equipment, as well as a three-year pilot scheme extending France’s Energy Savings Certificates (EEC) mechanism to international wind-powered shipping. This would allow shipowners to monetise the fuel savings generated by wind propulsion.

“This sends a very strong message,” says Lise Detrimont. “Wind is becoming a central pillar of the maritime energy transition. Shipowners who received public support during the development of their wind propulsion projects will continue to benefit once their vessels enter commercial service. It was essential to support those willing to invest.”

Inspiring the rest of Europe

While the vote has been warmly welcomed across the industry, some stakeholders also recognise the bill’s limitations.

“It’s encouraging to see policymakers taking maritime decarbonisation seriously,” says Christophe Brière, Environment and Sustainability Manager at Orient Express Silenseas, Accor Group’s luxury sailing cruise brand. “However, the 50% threshold for primary wind propulsion is demanding. Depending on the calculation method eventually adopted, many vessels could end up being excluded from the scheme.”

According to this maritime decarbonisation specialist, the proposed tax incentives alone will not be sufficient to fundamentally transform the market or generate the level of demand needed to scale up production across the wind propulsion supply chain.

“France is a pioneer thanks to its dense and highly capable ecosystem, but it still struggles to move from innovation to large-scale industrial deployment because competitiveness remains a challenge. International competition is extremely strong.”

Nevertheless, the legislation adopted on 12 May represents far more than a symbolic milestone, even though the legislative process is not yet complete. The bill must still be examined by the Senate before the implementing decrees can be drafted.

“We don’t yet know when that will happen,” says Agnès Firmin Le Bodo. “Its adoption should not be an issue. The real battle will be ensuring that the implementing decrees are actually published. The Ministry of Finance is not particularly enthusiastic about all these tax incentives, but you can count on me to see this through.”

Supporters of the legislation are already looking beyond France.

“What France is doing is being closely watched by our European neighbours, particularly the use of ETS revenues and access to the Energy Savings Certificates scheme,” confirms Lise Detrimont.

For Wind Ship, the objective is clear: to make France a laboratory whose policy framework can inspire similar initiatives across Europe. While wind propulsion has the potential to play a significant role in decarbonising maritime transport, its overall impact will remain limited as long as support mechanisms exist only at national level.

ETS: European Union Emissions Trading System.*

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Crédit photo : Orient Express