LD Armateurs delivers Spirit of Toulouse with six rotor sails and dual-fuel methanol propulsion
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French shipowner LD Armateurs has completed delivery of the Spirit of Toulouse, the first of three vessels built in China to transport Airbus aircraft subassemblies between Europe and North America. The ship is fitted with six rotor sails and a dual-fuel methanol propulsion system, making it one of the largest wind-assisted ro-ro vessels in service.
Onboard technology
The six rotor sails, 35 meters high by 5 meters in diameter, were supplied by Finnish firm Norsepower and installed at a coastal yard in Shanghai by Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group. The wind propulsion system works alongside two dual-fuel main engines from Wärtsilä and two dual-fuel auxiliary generators from Everllence, capable of running on e-methanol, bio-methanol or marine gasoil, with the aim of reducing fuel consumption and emissions on the transatlantic route.
A milestone for wind-assisted shipping
According to LD Armateurs and Norsepower, the Spirit of Toulouse is the cargo vessel with the highest number of mechanical sails installed to date. Trade News noted that although two VLOCs, the Sohar Max and the NSU Tubarao, each carry five rotor sails, and Wallenius Wilhelmsen's car carrier Tirranna has a single Oceanbird system, none matches the combination of scale and number of sails on the new vessel. LD Armateurs CEO Samira Draoua described the combination of six rotor sails and dual-fuel methanol propulsion on a vessel of this scale as a world first.
Next steps
With installation of the sails complete, the Spirit of Toulouse will begin sea trials to verify the performance of the wind propulsion system and its integration with onboard equipment, with further adjustments planned during the maiden voyage from China to France. The vessel will be followed by sister ships Spirit of Mobile and Spirit of Mirabel, also chartered to Airbus. The collaboration between Norsepower and LD Armateurs was announced in early 2024, construction of the vessel began in October of that year, and the launching took place in February 2026.
