Containers carrying 4m bottles of French cognac a year will join the exclusively Francophile cargo manifest of the slow boats to Baltimore that will be sailing across the Atlantic by 2023.
Charente region-based spirits company Jas Hennessy & Co has committed to using Neoline’s wind powered ro-ros that promise up to a 90% reduction in carbon footprint for non-standard cargoes on transatlantic shipping routes.
Hennessy joins French carmaker Renault, French heavy earth machinery manufacturer Manitou Group and French yacht maker Beneteau Group in promising cargoes for French shipowner Neoline.
Saint Nazaire-shipbuilder Neopolia agreed to build the 136-metre long ships and French shipowner Compagnie Maritime Nantaise has bought a stake in Neoline.
Originally, the plan was to deliver the first pilot ship by 2020, which then slipped to late 2021, and Neoline’s website now says it plans to operate the first route connecting St-Nazaire to Halifax and Baltimore in the US from 2022, calling at Saint-Pierre and Miquelon in Canada. Hennessy now talks about 2023.
Sailing at an operating speed of 11 knots — delivered by 4,200 square metres of sails and an electric-diesel engine when the wind is not blowing — Neoline aims to provide a fortnightly service with two vessels capable of carrying 500 cars, 280 teu of containers and 5,000 tonnes of conventional cargo.
Renault wants to move car parts to the US and Canada while Manitou talks about loading up to 40 of its machines on each sailing, and Beneteau achieves 30% of its revenues from exporting boats and yachts to the US.
Nearly 60% of Renault's parts are transported by sea, but Hennessy can already better that — moving 94% of its product by sea and rail.
“Maritime shipments have always been the determining factor in the development of Hennessy. We want to ensure the sustainability of our business on every level, from the vine to the glass," company president Laurent Boillot said.
"The innovative and planet-friendly solutions developed by Neoline resonate with the adventurous DNA of the company," he added.
This is all good news for those that like to drink responsibly, but, unlike the new ships, beware of becoming three sheets to the wind.
