Wind Ship Association: “The Image of Wind Propulsion Has Evolved”

Founded in 2019, Wind Ship is the French branch of the International Windship Association. Lise Detrimont, General Delegate and co-founder of the association, introduces this organization dedicated to promoting wind propulsion for ships and structuring the wind propulsion sector in France and internationally. An initiative to which Brittany can contribute, especially now that the wind propulsion pact has been signed by Roland Lescure, Minister Delegate for Industry and Energy, and Hervé Berville, Secretary of State for the Sea and Biodiversity. The association has served as a spokesperson for this pact.

Could you introduce the Wind Ship Association?

Wind Ship is a non-profit association, established in 2019 with five founding members: shipping companies Neoline and Zéphyr & Borée, engineering firm D-ICE Engineering, current president Florent Violain, and myself. Its creation comes five years after the establishment of the International Windship Association (IWSA), based in London, which aims to promote the use of wind in commercial shipping. In 2017-2018, Florent Violain, who was in contact with the IWSA, wondered if such an initiative existed in France. He organized initial, very open meetings on the subject, which were attended by representatives of the state, industry companies, academics, and local authorities. From these meetings, a small informal group began to emerge to try to take action and delve deeper into the subject. After three months of diagnostics to determine the needs of the stakeholders, the necessity of having an entity that could act as the voice of this sector was confirmed in January 2020. The association was then founded with the objective of implementing a roadmap to accelerate the transition towards cleaner, decarbonized maritime transport through wind propulsion, an immediately available, renewable, and free energy source.

What are the association’s objectives?

Wind Ship has three main objectives. The first is to work on the image and awareness of the subject by explaining it, deconstructing prejudices, and providing the most objective and accurate information possible. The creation of a white paper shortly after the association’s establishment fits within this framework. The second objective is to work on the competitiveness conditions of an emerging industrial sector in France. This involves positioning the wind propulsion sector in roadmaps, project calls, and certain strategic actions. When discussing decarbonization or mobility, maritime transport is often overlooked, and when decarbonization is mentioned, the focus is usually on fuel changes rather than finding an alternative energy source and fundamentally reorganizing the logistics chain. Wind propulsion allows for a reassessment of this. Lastly, the third objective is to guide newcomers in this sector. The first projects we know of, such as TOWT, Neoline, Zéphyr & Borée, or Grain de Sail, took time to launch their first ship. In a sector like this, given the climate emergency, we can no longer afford to wait. We must really succeed in moving faster, so we try to collectively support this sector by offering tools, analysis guides, or networking opportunities to help understand obstacles, regulations, etc. Additionally, we have traditional missions such as animating and representing stakeholders by creating relationships with the entire ecosystem. For example, ensuring that shipowners exchange with equipment manufacturers, shipyards, and financiers outside of a commercial relationship, as well as among themselves. Lastly, we collect and consolidate information to provide the most up-to-date and reliable knowledge of this sector.

How many members does the association have?

Today, the association has 43 members whose core business is wind propulsion. They are directly involved with the regulations, energy efficiency indicators, and related texts. It also includes about ten “crew” members, including financiers, lawyers, and suppliers who support the association. We work through commissions to develop notes and practical guides to help newcomers move faster and present their business model effectively when meeting with a bank, for example. This complements the work done with member companies, which is more focused on technical working groups, regulations, etc.

“Wind propulsion applied to commercial shipping is not what it was a hundred years ago.”

What are the misconceptions that the Wind Ship Association aims to dismantle?

There is obviously the image of the 1930s clippers, where we see a large crew struggling with ropes, rounding Cape Horn in difficult conditions, or even pleasure sailors. This is part of the imagination when we talk about sailboats. We need to deconstruct this and explain that, no, wind propulsion applied to commercial shipping is not what it was a hundred years ago. Therefore, we first work on explaining the rigging systems, which can be traditional but will be much more automated or innovative. Ships can have smaller sails, with profiles similar to airplane wings to increase lift, which take up less space on the deck, allowing for commercial operations without needing to increase crew size.

The second misconception concerns speed. Some people think schedules will never be met with sails. Regulations do not allow us to be 100% under sail. A motor is mandatory to handle certain sea conditions. Depending on the shipowner’s choice, they may opt for a relatively low speed and choose to minimize engine consumption as much as possible, as Grain de Sail does. Alternatively, they may enter into contracts with a specific arrival time. To meet this, they conduct routing simulations, statistical studies on weather data, sea conditions, etc., to set up their operational model. Today, they can be confident of arriving on time. If necessary, they can rely on the engine. This is part of the evolution over the past twenty years in terms of understanding and utilizing weather phenomena and tools to optimize routing.

Another important point is that when discussing maritime transport, we often forget that there is a pre- and post-transport phase, which can involve land transport over several hundred kilometers to reach logistical hubs like Antwerp-Bruges or Rotterdam. Containers are loaded onto ships, quickly unloaded, but remain at the dock until processed before being finally transported by truck to their initial destination. In the models we have, particularly with the new French shipowners, there is point-to-point transport. Goods are loaded directly onto the ship and may take one or two extra days to cross, but they will be unloaded much closer to their final destination. So, across the entire logistics chain, no time is necessarily lost.

The third issue is sailor training. There is indeed a need to reintroduce sailors to these systems. However, we will offer automated systems that will allow sailors to be much more attentive to the environment they work in. Today, they spend a lot of time behind a screen, inputting data, explaining what they are doing, etc. Now, we will enable them to reconnect with the environmental conditions in which they are navigating.

Wind Ship Association’s Projects on All Fronts

What projects has Wind Ship undertaken, and what are the upcoming ones?

The first project we undertook was the white paper published in 2022 (available on our website). The goal was to create a reference document. We were supported by the Brittany Region, ADEME, and the cities of Nantes and Saint-Nazaire. Then, we worked on a project with the National Maritime College (ENSM) to develop an initial training program to introduce sailors to wind propulsion. This project also includes the implementation of a simulator to model the behavior of a wind-powered ship. D-Ice Engineering worked on this aspect. Wind Ship led this collaborative project involving shipowners and equipment manufacturers. The shipowners expressed their needs regarding the training of their sailors, while the manufacturers explained how their equipment works to integrate it into the training. Finally, we had this module tested by experienced officers and cadets. This project aims to dispel the notion that nothing exists to train sailors and that crews will be helpless when faced with these sail systems.

We also worked on the NORVENT project with the support of ADEME, aimed at assessing the current methods and tools for performance evaluations. We mobilized test basins, shipowners, equipment manufacturers, bankers, and all the stakeholders who use performance in their work.

Following NORVENT, we are working on the OPERVENT project, which aims to offer educational tools to understand what performance evaluation of sail-equipped ships entails.

We have just completed the VENFFRAIS study, which, with a consortium of 34 stakeholders, defined the work areas that will enable the wind propulsion sector to scale up in the next five years. This work was initiated by our discussions with the SGPI and monitored step by step by an interministerial committee.

In parallel, still on the training front, we have just launched a project called CAPVENT. It aims to assess the skills and job needs across the entire wind propulsion sector. This includes not only sailors but also ship design, equipment integration on board, operations, and maintenance. It should help address the changes brought about by the re-emergence of wind propulsion: whether specific training is needed, if it already exists, if it needs to be created, and where to implement it. The idea is that training organizations can eventually offer programs that meet every need.

Finally, we are working on ReMoVe, a project led by ADEME and related to modal shift and fleet greening. It involves not only maritime but also river, rail, and port transport. We are championing wind propulsion by exploring how we could revive the necessary conditions for a modal shift with coastal shipping.

“A Genuine Interest from Shipowners, Not Just Newcomers”

Has the image of wind propulsion evolved as you hoped?

Yes, its image has evolved significantly. When we held our very first meeting, we were viewed with some condescension. Where we still have work to do is in addressing the perception of some who describe it as a “niche transport”. During the COVID period, maritime transport became expensive, and suddenly, using sails became very profitable. Today, prices have plummeted, so sailing

may be seen as less competitive. However, when you present the issue, many shipowners find it interesting and come to us to understand and explore the subject further. There is a genuine interest, and not just from newcomers. Traditional shipowners also seek to understand the subject. As for the actors who were among the first to embark on this adventure, they have matured. Some of them are preparing to put their first ships in the water.

What is particularly interesting is that when people think of wind propulsion, they immediately think of Atlantic crossings. But in the Mediterranean, the subject is equally relevant. The technical and environmental conditions there also lend themselves to the use of wind. There are many opportunities to be seized. However, this means tackling certain aspects such as technical elements, meteorological conditions, and the organization of the logistics chain.

With the recent wind propulsion pact signed between the State and companies, what does this pact signify?

What it signifies, above all, is that everyone recognizes the need to speed up the decarbonization of maritime transport. Today, there is still no decarbonization trajectory in place. These are simply ambitions. Without one, it will be difficult to achieve the decarbonization goals by 2030. And even if we meet the 2050 goals, we won’t be at zero emissions. The work that will start after the signing will help establish the outlines of a trajectory and set priorities. We will align it with international regulations so that each shipowner can define their pathway. However, the very fact that the work has started and that the State is actively participating is a positive sign for the future.

Another interesting aspect is that the manufacturers involved in wind propulsion are well integrated into the entire logistics chain. For example, the sail makers are connected to the shipyards, or at least they know where to go to complete their projects.

The support measures for the industry can be summarized in three words: plan, anticipate, and adapt. Plan because decarbonizing is a process that takes time and requires careful planning. Anticipate because the sooner we start, the better prepared we will be for upcoming regulations. And adapt because wind propulsion technology is evolving rapidly, and shipowners need to be ready to incorporate new solutions as they become available.

The focus will also be on education and training. We will need to ensure that sailors, engineers, and all other stakeholders in the maritime sector are equipped with the knowledge and skills required to operate wind-assisted ships. This includes not only traditional maritime skills but also a deep understanding of wind propulsion systems and their integration into modern vessels.

The goal is to create a supportive ecosystem where innovation, regulation, and practical application work hand in hand to reduce the maritime sector’s environmental impact. This comprehensive approach will help ensure that wind propulsion becomes a mainstream solution for decarbonizing the shipping industry, rather than a niche or temporary fix.