"Keel-laying," laying of the first block of the NEOLINER ORIGIN: Assembly of the first Neoline sail cargo begins!
Articles -
Tuzla, February 14, 2024 – Neoline Armateur celebrates today, with RMK Marine and its partners, its first NEOLINER ORIGIN’s beginning of assembly, marked by the laying of the first block. This symbolic and fundamental step brings the ship closer to its launch, scheduled for December 2024, and its entry into service in June 2025.
- The construction of the NEOLINER ORIGIN goes on with the “Keel Laying” on February 14, 2024, at the RMK Marine shipyard in Tuzla, Turkey.
- The launch of the ship is planned in December 2024, and its delivery is scheduled for June 2025 in Turkey.
- The first rotation of the NEOLINER ORIGIN, a 136-meter wind-powered ro-ro cargo ship, will take place in July 2025 between the ports of Saint-Nazaire, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Baltimore, and Halifax.
A construction started on November 8, 2023
“The laying of this first block represents a very important step for us, as the first NEOLINER ORIGIN begins to exist”
After the contract came into effect in January 2023 and several months of detailed design studies, the construction of the NEOLINER ORIGIN, a sail ro-ro cargo ship specialized in the transport of rolling and oversized freight, officially started on November 8 at RMK Marine Shipyard in Tuzla, Türkiye, during the cutting of the ship’s first steel sheet (“steel cutting”).
This first milestone marked more than 12 years of work and investment by the entire Neoline team.
Its goal: to design a 136m-long sailing commercial ship capable of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by over 80% compared to conventional ships of equivalent size by reducing energy needs and using wind as the main propulsion energy.
Between November 8, 2023, and February 14, 2024, more than 1000 tons of steel were cut and assembled at the RMK Marine Shipyard.
While the steel cutting initiated the production of sheets and the actual construction of the ship, the laying of the first block or « Keel laying » marks the beginning of the assembly of the ship’s hull on the shipyard slipway, with the aim of launching in December 2024 and delivering in June 2025.
“The laying of this first block represents a very important step for us, as the first NEOLINER ORIGIN begins to exist, and we see it taking shape day after day. Since November, the technical team of Neoline Armateur, assisted by Schulte Marine Concept, closely follows the cutting and the first assemblies of the sheets.
We are pleased with the quality of the work provided by RMK Marine and its fruitful cooperation with all technical partners, especially Mauric, Chantiers de l’Atlantique, and Bureau Veritas.
We can feel how each participant is passionately involved in the project and is making every effort to create an extraordinary sailing ship, aiming to offer an almost decarbonized, industrial shipping in line with logistics standards.
With the completion of this project and the demonstration of what modern sailing can bring, we hope to contribute to building a maritime transport more compatible with planetary limits,” says Jean Zanuttini, President of Neoline.
Cutting-edge technologies for an innovative sailing cargo ship.
To build this ship, Neoline works closely with numerous French partners.
The NEOLINER ORIGIN will be equipped with nearly 3000sqm of sail and two foldable Solidsail carbon masts of 76m height manufactured by Chantiers de l’Atlantique, retractable anti-drift plans made by Fouré Lagadec, and equipped with an ultra-efficient weather routing system developed by D-ICE Engineering.
Thanks to these innovative technologies and adopting a commercial speed of 11 knots, the NEOLINER ORIGIN will achieve fuel savings up to 80% to 90%, resulting in a reduction of associated greenhouse gas emissions.
A new transatlantic route to reduce supply chain carbon footprint.
Upon completion of its construction, the NEOLINER ORIGIN will leave Tuzla to reach Saint-Nazaire and, at the end of June/beginning of July 2025, will perform its first rotation between Saint-Nazaire and the East Coast of the United States (Halifax/Baltimore), with two stops at Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon.
This new transatlantic route will provide shippers who have chosen Neoline with an industrial and competitive transportation service while being as decarbonized as possible and offering new capabilities in terms of types of cargo (rolling and oversized freight) as well as destinations.
NEOLINE develops custom solutions with and for its partners as part of their environmental strategy to reduce the carbon footprint of their logistics chain.
The solution offered by NEOLINE allows cost savings on pre-routing logistics to major European ports in the English Channel and the North Sea and post-routing to major American and Canadian ports.
With a loading capacity of 1200 linear meters (2.8m wide) or 265 20′ containers for a maximum weight of 5300 tons of goods, the NEOLINER ORIGIN can accommodate different types of cargo. It can also carry up to 12 passengers during its various rotations.
About RMK MARINE
RMK MARINE is one of the leading companies in the Turkish shipbuilding industry. It carries out various type of high-tech ship and yacht building projects to international standards.
RMK MARINE offers turnkey solutions for the production of superyachts, naval ships and merchant ships for national and international markets, which are its main areas of activity.
Its sales and expertise have grown steadily since 1997, when the company joined Turkey’s largest industrial and services group: Koç Holding.
About Neoline
NEOLINE Développement was founded in 2015 by a group of merchant marine professionals, all convinced of the need for a transition to a more responsible shipping.
Neoline Développement wanted to commit into promoting energy sobriety in shipping by developing new transport services. This is materialized by the desire to operate innovative vessels equipped with a main wind propulsion system, with the aim of significantly minimizing emissions.
Owned up to 75% by the holding company of the founding shareholders, NEOLINE & Associés, this initiative is supported by the Pays de la Loire Region and the BPI.
Neoline Développement is supported by Atlanpole, and finally the project benefits from the Pôle Mer Bretagne Atlantique label.
NEOLINE Armateur :
Created in 2021 by NEOLINE Développement, NEOLINE Armateur is the shipowning company that will finance and operate the first NEOLINER ORIGIN vessel, a ro-ro cargo ship mainly powered by wind, on the transatlantic pilot line between Saint-Nazaire, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Baltimore and Halifax, departing every month from 2025. French flagship industries such as Renault Group, Groupe Beneteau, Manitou Group, Michelin, Jas Hennessy & Co, Clarins, Longchamp, Rémy Cointreau and La Fournée Dorée are among the first customers, pioneering this new France – Northern America route.
NEOLINE Armateur is owned by CMA CGM, ADEME Investissement, NEOLINE Développement, Corsica Ferries and Louis Hardy SAS.
The Bank financing of the vessel is provided by CIC, along with CIC Ouest, BPGO and Banque Palatine. The project also benefits from a Strategic Projects Guarantee via BPIFrance, as well as additional financing from the Banque des Territoires des Pays de la Loire and the Pays de la Loire Region.
EDF is also a partner in the project, and it will provide post-commissioning financing through a specific CEE (Certificats d’Economies d’Energie) agreement.
Contacts presse
Kit media : https://www.neoline.eu/kit-media-neoline/
Press contact: contact@neoline.eu +33(0) 9.81.23.16.37