Wind‑powered maritime transport: The challenge of large‑scale deployment
Amidst ever‑pressing environmental challenges, wind‑powered maritime transport is emerging as a concrete solution to tackle global climate and energy issues.

At the third edition of Wind for Goods, the international sustainable wind-powered transport event
organised by Nantes Saint-Nazaire Développement in partnership with Nantes Métropole,
Saint-Nazaire Agglo, the Nantes St-Nazaire Chamber of commerce, the Pays de la Loire Region,
ADEME, Nantes Saint-Nazaire Port and Oportunity, nearly 1,000 stakeholders in wind-powered
transport are calling on all players to join forces and rise to the challenge of scaling up this
emerging sector.
Currently, 90 % of global freight is carried by sea, responsible for approximately 3 % of CO₂ emissions.
The latest regulatory measures set out by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in April 2025
aim to achieve net-zero emissions by or around 2050. Harnessing clean, free, renewable energy—the
wind—this innovative technology is rapidly gaining momentum. The wind-propulsion sector is ready
for take-off and now faces its greatest challenge: scaling up, the theme of this 3rd Wind for Goods
edition.
A global sector ready to expand
Wind-powered shipping projects are transitioning to industrial scale. Around 100 wind-propelled
vessels are in operation or under construction worldwide in 2025, with projections estimating 400
retrofits and 1,200 newbuilds by 2030. Experts anticipate that 45 % of the global fleet—around 40,000
vessels—could be equipped with sails by 2050. France is poised to supply one-third of the global
market. With its long-standing maritime know-how, the Pays de la Loire region is well-positioned to
meet this expanding demand.
Significant projects underway in Nantes & Saint-Nazaire
• Neoline unveiled the construction of its first sail-powered cargo ship Neoliner Origin, designed
in Nantes and due to be launched later this year.
• Airseas, spun off from Airbus and based in Nantes since early 2020, recently completed
successful trials with its kite-wing in Dakhla, Morocco.
• Wisamo, part of the Michelin Group, was selected in February to outfit France’s newgeneration maritime patrol vessel.
• Chantiers de l’Atlantique, based in Saint-Nazaire, continues to develop SolidSail rigid wing
technology.
• Computed Wind Sail, operating since September 2024 in Saint-Nazaire, secured its first order
for sails in April—for Windcoop.
• At Centrale Nantes, Farwind Energy launched the construction of a rotor prototype for ship
propulsion.
Port infrastructure geared towards wind-power
Nantes Saint-Nazaire Port offers extensive facilities supporting wind-powered shipping, including land
plots already hosting the region’s first operator in this field and ready for future ventures. At the Montoir
de Bretagne industrial–logistics hub, the port provides 4,800 to 7,500 m² metal-textile warehouses
ideal for sail assembly and logistics. One such site, near the Saint-Nazaire bridge, now houses CWS,
and an adjacent 8-hectare platform is primed for further development.
Call for a clear regulatory framework
During Wind for Goods, all stakeholders reiterated the urgent need for regulatory, fiscal, and political
support to accelerate this energy transition in maritime transport. A bill has been submitted to the
French National Assembly to provide a legal framework and official recognition for wind-propulsion
cargo vessels. This proposed law aims to fill a legislative gap by legally acknowledging these vessels
and supporting a sector critical to the green transition in maritime logistics.
International ambitions for Wind for Goods
This third edition of Wind for Goods has grown notably, with nearly 1,000 participants and 80 exhibitors.
A significant increase in international presence—about twenty companies from ten countries
(Netherlands, UK, Norway, Germany, Japan…)—highlights its emerging status as a flagship European,
if not global, event in the sector.
Nantes Métropole, Saint-Nazaire Agglo and the Pays de la Loire Region continue to play pivotal roles
in fostering this dynamic ecosystem.
David Samzun, Mayor of Saint-Nazaire:
“100 is the number of vessels in service or on order equipped with wind-propulsion systems
currently on the market. To decarbonise, there are two types: those waiting for magic solutions, and
those who rely on innovation and industry. These inventors, these industrialists, all those shaping the
maritime transport of tomorrow through rapid scaling, meet in Saint-Nazaire for the 3rd edition of
Wind for Goods. I welcome them to this garden-city by the ocean, where innovation, progress and
ecology strengthen one another.”
Anthony Descloziers, Vice-President for the Economy, Nantes Métropole:
“I applaud the organisation of this third major edition of Wind for Goods, a flagship event showcasing
wind-propulsion innovation and its progress. More broadly, with Wind for Goods and recently
PoSEAble, our territory confirms its ambition and positioning regarding the decarbonisation of
maritime transport.”
Claire Hugues, Vice-President of the Pays de la Loire Region, in charge of Maritime Affairs:
“We collectively hold all the cards to decarbonise maritime transport—from our businesses,
academia, our major port, to our innovation ecosystem. The Region was an early believer in these
solutions, being the first to support MEET2050, the national institute dedicated to maritime
decarbonisation. We have long supported industrial players to develop concrete, industrial-scale
solutions—from Neoline and Solid Sail, to CWS and Farwind, to name a few. The solutions are here; it’s
time to adopt them. The sector is growing, which is why, alongside the State, we back the VENFFRAIS
initiative spearheaded by Wind Ship and its members, aiming to strengthen this strategic sector for
our territory.”
Nicolas Debon, CEO, Nantes Saint-Nazaire Développement:
“As a mission-driven agency, we support all companies in Nantes and Saint-Nazaire in their
transitions, help ecosystems evolve, and imagine together a more virtuous future. It is in this spirit
that we passionately launched Wind for Goods—an event we proudly present for its third edition.”