TOWT unveils names of 5 next-gen sailing cargo ships

French sailing freight transport company TransOceanic Wind Transport (TOWT) has revealed the names of the remaining five sailing cargo ships expected to debut in 2026 and 2027.

As disclosed, the remaining Phoenix-class 81-meter-long newbuilds will be named Atlas, Archimedes, Asterias, Aries, and Athenais.

The 1,090-ton units will be able to accommodate 7 to 9 crewmembers and will have 12 passenger cabins.

In 2024, TOWT took delivery of the first two sailboats in the fleet, Anemos and Artemis.

In October 2024, the company celebrated a keel-laying ceremony for the third ship in the series, Atlantis. The ceremony took place at Piriou Vietnam shipyard in Ho Chi Minh City on October 7, 2024.

With eight ships meeting the growing demand for more sustainable, environmentally friendly shipping, TOWT said it will contribute to saving around 40,000 tonnes of CO2 by transporting around 200,000 tonnes of goods.

TOWT’s ambitious project seems to reflect strong growth of the entire wind ship propulsion sector in France. The country’s sailing fleet now comprises eleven large cargo ships, with four new wind-powered vessels added to the fleet in 2024, Association Wind Ship recently revealed.

What is more, a total of fifteen vessels featuring wind propulsion are under construction, the French association, which brings together around 60 local players actively involved in the development of ship propulsion by wind, said.

On a global scale, 2024 was an exciting year in the development of the wind-assisted ship propulsion segment, with 54 ships in operation and seven more designated as wind-ready. There are also four primary wind vessels, as per the International Windship Association (IWSA).