French spirits company Jas Hennessy & Co has embarked on a new eco-friendly initiative that will see its products being transported by Neoline’s sailing cargo ships between Montoir de Bretagne, France, and Baltimore, the USA.
On 2 December, Laurent Boillot, President of Jas Hennessy & Co, signed a letter of intent with compatriot shipowner Neoline in an effort to further reduce the impact of its transatlantic maritime logistics flow.
With this commitment, each year 4 million bottles (containerized) will be transported by roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessels.
The initiative is said to represent the first step in Jas Hennessy & Co’s collaboration with Neoline. It is part of the launch of its transatlantic pilot line that is scheduled to be operational in 2023, with one ship departing on a monthly basis.
“We are very proud that Jas Hennessy & Co, one of France’s leading exporters to the United States, has chosen our environmentally friendly shipping solution to strengthen its approach in reducing its environmental impact… Jas Hennessy & Co’s participation in the pilot line represents a first important step in our collaboration which will be extended to the future of the transatlantic market,” Jean Zanuttini , Chairman of Neoline, commented.
Neoline’s wind-powered sailing cargo vessels
Neoline’s project involves two wind-powered RoRo ships. Last year, Neoline selected Loire-based company Neopolia SAS to build the first two sailing cargo vessels.
Propelled mainly by clean and renewable wind energy, the 136-metre sailing cargo ships are equipped with 4, 200 square metre sails. This operating model developed by Neoline is expected to enable a 90 per cent reduction in the carbon footprint on the transatlantic shipping routes.
In October this year, Manitou Group, another French company, selected Neoline to transport its products.
The partnership involves the transport of all aerial work platforms and telehandlers manufactured by Manitou Group in France via a primarily wind-powered cargo ship heading for the North American market.