French ship operator LD Armateurs (LDA) is set to welcome the first ship of its next generation ro-ro vessels chartered to Airbus, the ‘Spirit of Toulouse’, which was launched at Wuchang Shipyard (CSSC Group).
Two other vessels – Spirit of Mobile and Spirit of Mirabel – are under construction. The new low-emission vessels, which will be used to ship aircraft components for Airbus, will each be powered by a combination of six 35m tall Norsepower Rotor Sails and two dual- fuel engines capable of running on e-/bio-methanol or marine diesel oil.
The vessels have been designed to minimise CO2 emissions, employing efficient propellers and shafts produced from recycled steel, very low-friction anti-fouling coatings, a smart power management system, and a heat conversion system. Equipped with routing software to optimise their routes, they will be able to maximise wind propulsion and minimise drag from adverse ocean conditions. This is further improved using an advanced AI-powered control solution which enables the vessels to adapt to changing external weather and sea conditions and achieve vessel-specific aerodynamic optimisation.
Each vessel in the new fleet is expected to deliver a 70% decrease in CO₂ emissions, on a yearly basis, compared with the previous generation of ships. LDA currently operates two vessels on the transatlantic route for Airbus, including the Ville de Bordeaux, the largest of the fleet, with a cargo capacity equivalent to six aircraft. The new vessels — Spirit of Toulouse, Spirit of Mobile, and Spirit of Mirabel — will match this cargo capacity. Further emission reductions could be achieved using low-carbon alternative fuels, such as hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) or e-methanol.
At fleet level, considering an increase in overall capacity, the introduction of the new vessels is expected to reduce average annual transatlantic CO₂ emissions by approximately 50% compared with 2023, while supporting higher transport volumes.
The new series of ships are 168m long and will travel at a service speed of 14 knots.
Image: ‘Spirit of Toulouse’ (credit: LD Armateurs)
