Interview: Nicolas Boulet “Michelin have big ambitions with Wisamo

Launched by Michelin in 2019, Wisamo aims to contribute to the decarbonization of maritime transport, employing an inflatable, fully retractable, automated wing that is rigged on a telescopic mast. The project has grown between sites in Nantes and Vannes and the first launches onto the market are planned for 2025. Director of sales and development at Wisamo, Nicolas Boulet tells us more.

Why has the Michelin group invested in this world of decarbonization of maritime transport with Wisamo?

Because for several years Michelin have been launching a major strategic plan which aims to diversify its activity around sustainable mobility and high-tech composite materials. In the medium term the objective is to achieve 30% of the group’s turnover generated outside of its historic business, tires. Michelin also has a culture of innovation that is not necessarily known to everyone, with companies which have followed the same process as that which we are taking with Wisamo, such as Symbio, which has developed a fuel cell for automotive sector, today a spin-off which with some major industrial partners such as Stellantis. The origins of Wisamo are from the Michelin research center in Switzerland which developed this inflatable envelope project to a point where we were able to build the first two small prototypes then test them, first on the Sense 43 (cruising monohull) of Michel Desjoyeaux, the second, more recently, on MN Pelican, a ro-ro ferry of the Compagnie Maritime Nantaise.

What is special about Wisamo sailing?

The really unique, different aspect is its retractability, which allows reefing all the way through to complete furling, to reduce windage if wind conditions are too light, and to guarantee the safety of ships and crews if the winds are too strong. This safety aspect is a fundamental point, directly correlated to the highly automated side.

So when can we expect to see the first Wisamo sails come to market?

We have two lines of work that we are developing in parallel. The first is the small wing, derived from our two prototypes, with a surface area of ​​around 150 m2, which will aim to address the small maritime transport market. So that is work, fishing or wind-powered service vessels with the aim of decarbonization, but also large cruising boats with the aim of more ease and comfort, with a retractable and automated side which may then be suitable for people less able to maneuver. For this small wing, the ambition is to release the first products in the second half of 2025. Alongside that we are working on the large 800 m2 sail which is intended to be integrated on to bulk carriers and tankers. We have just completed a significant engineering phase and are aiming for commercialization in 2027/2028. We are spread over two sites, in Nantes and Vannes where are the prototyping workshop and a test bench which are intended to mass produce the first examples of the small wing next year.

You talk about decarbonization, what are the forecasted results for maritime transport with Wisamo?

It is very difficult to give figures today, because they depend a lot on the operational strategy of the shipowners, but also on the routes taken. Some will be at a maximum logic, accepting a fairly low cruising speed, which will allow them to achieve 50 to 60% decarbonization, others will wish to remain at standard use so without reducing transit speeds, in this case, we are aiming for gains of around 30%, we are more about this order of magnitude.

What are Michelin’s ambitions? And is this market competitive?

When it wants to address a market, Michelin wants to be among the major players in the sector, both in performance and in volume, so the ambitions are big, particularly by 2030, because changes in regulations on maritime transport will begin to impose significant constraints on shipowners. The main challenge will be the increase in production rate and on this, Michelin has a real capacity to move into a logic of standardized and major level production. Today, by 2040, we expect around a hundred wings to be produced per year. As for the market, it is competitive, because many players have launched quite different solutions in terms of the weight/power/price ratio, which is the magic triptych. But today I would talk more about a sailing industry, particularly in France, with actors who are today sharing the drive to convince shipowners to adopt this course. Perhaps the second step after that will be a question of gaining market share.