French yard to build new wind-powered cargo ship

Environmental non-profit Septieme Continent has awarded French shipbuilder Piriou a contract for the construction of a new sailship to be used for cargo and resupply duties.

The 42-metre vessel will be used primarily to deliver supplies to the operator’s drifting oceanographic platform tasked with carrying out sampling missions in the circumpolar flow over a period of three years.

The aluminium vessel will be designed by VPLP and Oliver Petit. It is scheduled for delivery in early 2023.

Although designed to operate mainly on wind power, the vessel will also be fitted with an IMO Tier III-compliant engine as a backup.