NEOLINE selects Neopolia's offer for the construction of its first two 136m sailing cargo ships in Saint-Nazaire
Press Release -This Monday, July 1st, press conference eagerly awaited for the announcement of the signature of the letter of intent of order by NEOLINE to Neopolia SAS for the construction in Saint Nazaire (France) of its first two 136m sailing cargo ships. The contract to launch the shipbuilding project is scheduled for autumn 2019.
François de Rugy, Minister of State, Minister of Ecological and Solidarity Transition, honoured us with his visit and his attentive listening for a first time of exchanges around the energy transition of maritime transport (in pictures).
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PRESS RELEASE
Nantes, July 1, 2019.
On the occasion of the maritime event La Mer XXL, NEOLINE announces that it has chosen the offer of the Loire-based company Neopolia S.A.S. for the construction of its first two innovative sailing main propulsion vessels. This decision follows the international call for tenders launched in 2018 by NEOLINE to some fifteen shipyards. The construction of the first ship is scheduled to start at the end of 2019, with a launch scheduled for the end of 2021.
- NEOLINE is developing a new transport service based on the operation of innovative ro-ro sailing vessels, saving 80% to 90% of consumption and the associated carbon footprint. Scheduled to start up in 2021, the first line will connect Saint-Nazaire to the American east coast and Saint-Pierre & Miquelon.
- Neopolia S.A.S. is a company created by the Neopolia network, whose purpose is to federate and develop work together 235 companies on major industrial projects to ensure the development of industrial sectors through its market clusters within the Pays de la Loire Region. Neopolia S.A.S. offers collaborative, innovative and sustainable solutions that create value for members and the territory, but also for customers..
With the support of key players such as Groupe Renault, Manitou Group and Groupe Beneteau, who have validated the logistical and economic relevance of the new service for the region’s manufacturers, NEOLINE is taking another major step forward with the signing of a Letter of Order Intent with Neopolia S.A.S.
Built by Neopolia, NEOLINE’s ships are intended to become real international ambassadors for the territory’s companies, and to embody France’s ability to achieve its energy transition in the field of maritime transport.
This signature is also an important success for the company Neopolia S.A.S, which has succeeded to federate its members to meet the specifications of a demanding project that offers new perspectives for the Loire-based naval industry.
Michel PERY, President of NEOLINE, says:
« Neopolia has been a strong partner and a support since NEOLINE was created in 2015, and has accompanied us at every step. However, this decision follows an international call for tenders, at the end of which we objectively considered that the offer brought by Neopolia and its members is the best technically and economically. Their ability to listen to the shipowner’s needs has enabled them to bring appropriate technical proposals, as well as an organisation able to respond to the constraints of an innovative project like NEOLINE.
In addition, we are very pleased to have been able to select the construction offer of a local player, because we are convinced that sailing propulsion is a new sector of excellence for French shipbuilding, with strong development potential.
Our team is now fully dedicated, with the support of Neopolia and all our partners, to mobilize the necessary financing to realize this innovative, ecological and industrial project, emblematic for the Pays de la Loire Region and France. ».
Alain LEROY, President of Neopolia, says:
«Neopolia’s mission and vocation is to structure industrial sectors within the Pays de la Loire, including renewable energies and mobility, so it is quite naturally that we have supported the NEOLINE project, a fine example of a collaborative project in our region (sectors, companies, services, skills, training, infrastructure and institutions): NEOLINE, Les Pays de la Loire and Neopolia, a real industrial and sustainable solution for the CSR of our Customers and companies.
. After more than three years of joint work, and through the important commitment of Hervé Germain (1st VP Neopolia), the Marine cluster led by Pascal Lemesle and Vincent Seguin de Mauric, our new tool, Neopolia SAS, has been able to propose to NEOLINE a response for this innovative project that will revolutionize maritime transport.
Ecologically, economically and operationally, the NEOLINE project is already demonstrating its credibility.
With the objective of launching the construction of the first ship before the end of the year, has yet to be finalised:
– The financing of this operation, with Neopolia SAS’s financial partners (Arkea, CIC Ouest, Champollion Finance and Crédit Agricole,…), and those mobilised by NEOLINE;
– The guarantee mechanism, for which we expect the support of the French and European institutions at the highest level, as exchanged with the President of the Republic on 17 June 2019.
Together, let’s build the future of maritime transport.
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Privileged press reception at the Mer XXL event from 29 June to 10 July at the Parc ExpoNantes in Hall XXL on its stand space shared with Nantes Saint-Nazaire Port
Other dates with NEOLINE on La Mer: https://www.neoline.eu/neoline-xxl-le-programme/
Neoline visuals available at: https://www.neoline.eu/kit-media-neoline/
About NEOLINE
Founded in 2015 by a group of maritime professionals convinced by the necessary evolution of shipping towards a more responsible maritime transport, NEOLINE aims to become the first shipowner to focus on energy savings, based on a sailing main propulsion system. It is supported by the Pays de la Loire Region and BPI France. The project is labelled by the Atlantic Brittany Sea Cluster, the EMC² Cluster and Atlanpôle. NEOLINE wishes, with its partners, to constitute an innovative French response to a universal environmental challenge while remaining within an industrial and competitive framework.
Contact NEOLINE : Bénédicte ENAUX – b.enaux@neoline.eu
À propos de NEOPOLIA
Neopolia is a network whose vocation is to federate and make work together companies on business issues, in the service of development of industrial sectors. Association created and run by entrepreneurs to strengthen the diversification and competitiveness of its members, Neopolia supports the major market players in their progress initiatives and acts alongside the territory’s institutions to ensure development industrial sectors through its Aeronautics, Energy and Energy clusters Renewable Marines, Railways, Maritime, Nuclear, Oil&Gas.
In 2019, Neopolia brings together 235 industrial companies, mainly in the Pays de la Loire region, representing 30,000 jobs and more than 125 different trades that are present in the network to meet the needs of the expectations of our customers and develop new markets and new products sectors. For the past 4 years, its 6 business clusters have generated a turnover of 42M€ collaborative project for the benefit of its member companies through collaborative, innovative and value-creating projects.
About Neopolia SAS :
In 2018, 20 years after the creation of the Neopolia association by Jean-Claude Pelleteur, the Neopolia S.A.S. Company is born, convinced that markets were waiting for solutions such as Neopolia knows the provide: collaborative, innovative and sustainably creative solutions of values for members and the territory, but also for customers. Neopolia’s mission and vocation is to structure industrial sectors in the Pays de la Loire region, including renewable energies and mobility, which is why Neopolia strongly hopes that the major clients of MREs – Renewable Marine Energies – as well as that those of mobility will see, through the response to the NEOLINE project, Neopolia S.A.S.’s ability to take a stake active in the issues of the Saint-Nazaire / Guérande wind farms and Dunkirk as well as those of tomorrow’s urban mobility.
More about NEOPOLIA : www.neopolia.fr
Contacts Neopolia – Agence COM4: Françoise DUBOIS & Marion HERMOUET
Emails : mhermouet@com-4.fr / fdubois@com-4.frTél. : 02 40 73 50 51 / 06 63 98 44 77