A sail-powered container ship financed by citizens’ cooperative
What if maritime transport became a common good again?
Windcoop is building the world’s first wind-powered container ship, financed using a cooperative model. The vessel belongs to its members – citizens, shippers, businesses and local authorities – who have raised 6.8 million euros in equity, directly contributing to financing its construction, estimated at 28.5 million euros.
Vessel technical features
▪️Lenght: 91,3 metres
▪️Width: 17,8 metres
▪️Draught: 4,8 metres
▪️Air draught : 62 metres
▪️Capacity : 210 TEU (around 2,500 tonnes of goods)
▪️Reefer plugs : 40
▪️CO₂ saving targeted: Up to 60 %
▪️Surface vélique: 1,050 m² – 3 rigid wingsails of 350 m²
▪️Auxiliary engine: MGO diesel fuel motor
▪️Autonomous on-board crane for self-handling in ports
▪️Crew: 10 to 12 seafarers
▪️Passengers places: 12
▪️Flag : RIF (French International Register)
Sailing to the rhythm of the Wind
The vessel will be able to accommodate up to 12 passengers, who will live at the crew’s pace. We are not offering a luxury cruise, but the chance to travel with the wind, comfortably, and to enjoy an uncommon journey aboard one of the first cargo sailing ships in operation.
A low-carbon shipping logistics
A world first in containersised transport
While most recent sail-powered cargo ship focus onpalletised or Ro-Ro freight, Windcoop is taking a pioneering step forward: adapting wind propulsion to container shipping. This major technical challenge is et through an innovative asymmetrical design, which positions the sails and the crane in a complementary layout, enabling full operational autonomy during port calls
Optimized to sail with the wind
The vessel is aiming for an average speed of 9 knots, with acceleration able by the use of wingsails in case of tail wind. The sailing system is based on three rigid fixed-profile wingsails, articulated around a tripod-mounted axle. The containers are loaded on six levels in three open holds. In case of no wind, an MGO diesel engine takes over to ensure uninterrupted navigation.
Up to 90 % fuel saving
Depending on the route and the season, the Windcoop cargo ship will be able to save up to 90% on fuel thanks to the use of sails. This average figures is based on navigation simulations carried out with D-ICE Engineering, based on meteorological data from the last ten years. These results already make it possible to estimate and, in the future, to fine-tune the sail-to-engine ration for each journey.
Technical pillars of Windcoop sailing cargo
Expertise : Zéphyr & Borée
Co-funder of the projec, Zéphyr & Borée brings its expertise in the design, construction and management of wind-powered vessels, building on its own experience with the cargo ship Canopée.
Construction : RMK Marine
The vessel will be built by RMK Marine, a leading Turkish shipyard. It built the Neoliner, an iconic sailing cargo. The Windcoop vessel launch is due in May 2027.
Sails technology: CWS
Windcoop relies on the latest generation of sail propulsion developed by CWS. Its three automated rigid wings combine power, stability and a low-energy, wind-reliant design.
An optimised and replicable vessel, designed thanks to the LCA
The Windcoop vessel is designed as a replicable vessel. To support this objective, a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is being carried out with the consulting firm Hévéa and the French Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME). This LCA will provide a comprehensive and objective measurement of the vessel’s environmental, economic, and social impacts, from design to end-of-life. This rigorous approach will serve as a foundation to enhance the performance of future vessels and refine design, operational, and financing decisions.
