The Neoliner Origin’s foresail has collapsed
The rigid ‘Solid Sail’ sail on the foremast of the sailing cargo ship Neoliner Origin collapsed from its maximum height during the Atlantic crossing for reasons that are as yet unclear. No one was injured.
The shipping company was forced to divert the vessel to Lorient, where the sail panels will be dismantled and the systems analysed by Chantiers de l’Atlantique to determine the causes of the incident. The vessel is expected to resume operations with a delay of a few days, temporarily without part of its rigging.
Innovation is never easy, and pioneers often face challenges. Neoline is no exception. After delivering exceptional sailing performance during its last voyage between Saint-Nazaire and North America, the Nantes-based company’s cargo ship sustained significant damage on Saturday 27 June, early in the afternoon, whilst on its return journey. The Solid Sail mainsail attached to the foremast — approximately 60 metres high, with a surface area of 1,050 m² and weighing several tonnes — fell from its full height and crashed onto the balestron, which serves as a support when the sail is furled. The shipping company, citing “a mechanical fault in the system”, stated that “there were no injuries to report and that the safety of the ship had not been compromised. The ship was able to continue its journey under its own power and measures have been taken on board to secure the area.”
Diverting to Morbihan
As it was impossible under these circumstances to lower the masts in order to pass under the Saint-Nazaire bridge, the Neoliner Origin set course for Lorient. The port of Morbihan, where the cargo ship had previously made a stopover following an incident this winter involving the rear sail, has the advantage of being directly accessible. The port is also close to the Solid Sail Mast Factory (SMAF), where the sails are manufactured. It remains to be determined why the mechanism designed to keep the sail in the raised position failed. “A thorough technical analysis is currently being carried out to determine the exact causes and resolve the problem completely,” said the shipping company, which believes that “this incident raises questions about the operating conditions of the Solid Sail mainsails”.
“As a shipping company, safety is our absolute priority. We therefore believe that such an event should not have occurred, even though this incident did not at any time jeopardise the safety of the vessel and the delay on the route is expected to be limited to a few days. » Jean Zanuttini, chairman of Neoline.
It is also likely that inspections – and possibly repair work – will be carried out on the Orient Express shipping company’s sailing cruise ship, the OE Corithian, which is equipped with identical systems and is currently moored in Marseille.
New voyage via the Caribbean
The ship, which made its first stopover in Halifax on 22 June, will embark on an exceptional voyage on its next departure, taking it to Latin America before returning to North America. The vessel, chartered by the Canadian company Café William, will make two cargo stops for this client in Santa Marta, Colombia, and then in Puerto Cortés, Honduras, before unloading these goods in Montréal. It will then resume its service between Baltimore and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, with Halifax included in the route; the return to Saint-Nazaire is scheduled for September.
Source: Vincent Groizeleau in Mer et Marine.
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