MONOHULL

Main Principles

• generic hull for different light cargo’s
• aerodynamic performance: rigid articulated wingsails, flush deck, rounded sheer strake
• hydrodynamic efficiency: very low block coefficient, wave piercing bow
• real wind for main propulsion: use of wind only during at least 85% of the time (average) on many trading routes

Zero-Emissions Within Reach

Thanks to the extensive use of wind, the quantity of green fuel required on board for assistance is reduced to the content of a few ISOtainers (20 – 40 – 45 ft) to be brought to the ship by truck. No need to wait for the expensive green fuel supply chains and bunkering systems, anyhow unavailable for the next decade.

The loading of green fuel ISOtainers uses a unique rails & trolley system, permanently fitted on board and deployed at quayside. The only external equipment required is a forklift. No wire-based winch is needed to handle an ISOtainer, virtually eliminating the risk of falling.

The above “absolute zero-emissions” (AZEM) feature can easily be retrofitted on the wind-propelled vessel described below. All the works can be carried out alongside in a harbor, with prefabricated structural components, hull outfitting items and machinery components and piping.

Agile, Ultra-Green Container Vessel

The initial container vessel concept, 330 TEU@12t (LOA 160.0m) should be delivered after extensive seatrials early 2028 ; it has been evaluated by routing on several trading routes:

• average speed: 12 kts
• resulting carbon footprint per TEU smaller by a factor than the footprint with a large container vessel trading at eco-speed.

The concept will be scaled up to 800 TEU, the real size for series construction, after one year in commercial operation by series of 330 TEU vessels.

In addition:

• the fully enclosed containers storage provides a unique cargo protection: no risk of falling overboard, quick and effective active fire protection, no exposure to bad weather;
• the vessels will be fitted with a unique lateral container self loading / unloading system (patented), allowing to handle containers directly to / from the trucks on quayside, or to / from an inland waterways vessel moored alongside.

This offers the possibility to avoid the large container terminals, potentially congested, and bring the cargo closer to the end user, limiting the road transportation and enhancing further the decarbonization of the supply chain.

Integrated Inland, Solar-Based Zero-Emission Trade Solution

The above self loading / unloading system can be used between our container vessel and the MARA Solar Powered Inland Cargo Vessel developed by our sister company planette.be – see https://planette.be/future-concepts/mara-solar-powered-inland-cargo-vessel/ .  

The transfer operation can be carried out in the estuary of any large river, outside the main channel and moored on a dedicated buoy.