Groot Ship Design keeps you informed about new projects or events. You can follow us by visiting our news site regularly, requesting a subscription on our newsletter or following us on social media (Linkedin and Facebook).

 

Williwaw project

In close collaboration with the parties Zéphyr & Borée and Blue Wasp Marine, a project proposal for a next-generation container vessel (600 TEU capacity) utilizing wind as dominant medium for propulsion was arranged in the first 6 months of 2022. The call for tenders for such vessel was issued February 2022 by French based AUTF (Association of Freight Transport Users). The tender has the goal to accelerate the decarbonization of maritime transport. The proposal (carrying the project name ‘Williwaw’) issued by Zéphyr & Borée to AUTF represents a design able to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 50% compared to conventional market standard transport solutions. With this project major steps forward can be made in the goals the maritime transport industry has to achieve.

Project ‘Williwaw’ (a sudden blast of wind descending from a mountainous coast to the sea) will make use of an optimized hullshape, specifically designed to improve sailing behaviour. The superstructure will be located forward and is designed so that the six (6) large-area wing sails can be used with the highest efficiency. Besides the wing sails, a methanal based propulsion system will be used. Together with other smart design features it will be the most efficient container vessel sailing at the time of completion.

End of July the AUTF announced the outcome of the tender, stating the container lines were awarded to Zéphyr & Borée with the Williwaw design. The selection is an important step forward towards the deployment of the lines. In the near future it will be decided how many of, and were,  to build the vessels. Expected is that at least ten (10) vessels are required to fulfil the current transportation needs.