TOWT's newest sailing cargo ship departs on maiden voyage

French transport company TOWT's newest sailing cargo vessel Anemos has departed on its maiden operational voyage, leaving the Port of Le Havre with a final destination of New York City.

The ship will later make stops at Santa Maria in Colombia, Vitoria in Brazil, and Quebec before returning to France.

Built by French shipyard Piriou, Anemos has a length of 81 metres, a beam of 15 metres, and a height of 63 metres. The sails will provide all of the propulsive power needed by the vessel, while navigation will be aided by an autonomous routing system that utilises artificial intelligence and meteorological data.

The vessel also boasts wake energy recovery technology using dynamos and variable-pitch propellers.

Anemos is the first vessel in a planned series of eight. Construction of the hull took place at Piriou's Romania facilities while final outfitting was undertaken in Concarneau.

Piriou said the vessel's operations will enable greenhouse gas emissions of at least 93 per cent for CO2, 98 per cent for SOx, and 97 per cent of NOx. The vessel will also generate zero methane emissions.