TOWT orders six additional cargo sailships from French builder

French transport company TOWT has awarded a contract for the construction of six additional wind-powered cargo vessels from compatriot shipbuilder Piriou, bringing the total number of ordered ships to eight.

The 81-metre, 1,000DWT ships will be designed to operate for up to 320 days at sea per year. Navigation will principally be sail-powered, though the ships will also have a hybrid power mode, with one or two engines operating, at different levels of power.

The vessels will be designed and built with wind as the principal power source, with a sail rigging spread over two masts on each ship.

In addition to the wind propulsion, each ship will be equipped with two turbocharged four-stroke marine diesel engines.

On the bridge of each vessel, there will be a single command station and its ergonomics will allow the officer of the watch to carry out all the commands and course adjustment operations, excluding manoeuvres, alone.

Piriou will deliver all eight ships in the series by 2027. The first two vessels are scheduled to enter service this summer.