Presidential visit for world’s first wind-powered hybrid industrial ship, funded under EMFF

French President Emmanuel Macron has visited Canopée, the world’s first” wind-powered hybrid industrial cargo ship. French company Ayro developed Oceanwings® 363, wingsails that reduce the fuel consumption of ships by 30%.

Thanks to the support of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) via the WINNEW project, Ayro sped up the development and the industrialisation of the wingsails, further enhancing the technology throughout validation processes.

In summer 2023, Oceanwings have been installed and tested on Canopée, a ship that is transporting Ariane rocket parts between Europe and the Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana.

On 26 March 2024, President Macron visited Europe's Spaceport, where he was invited on board to look around Canopée. The ship is currently anchored in the Kourou port of Paricabo.

The combination of diesel propulsion and wind assistance on this vessel represents a big leap forward in the decarbonisation of industrial shipping.

Last November, by the end of the EU-funded project, Canopée won the Ship of the Year Award for 2023.