Manitou partners with Neoline to cut carbon

The two companies have been collaborating since 2017 but have now formalised their partnership with a contract to enable Manitou Group to use the primarily wind-powered vessels to significantly reduce its operational carbon emissions.

Augustin Merle, director of logistics and projects at Manitou Group, said: “By engaging with a local partner, we are not only strengthening our regional position, but we are also going to reduce our transport carbon footprint, while guaranteeing reliability of service for our customers in the United States and Canada.”

With more than 1,000 machines exported to the US per year, Manitou Group will have a load capacity of up to 40 machines per trip onboard a single ship.

This navigation solution will also make it possible to reduce up to 90% of CO2 emissions when compared with a traditional cargo ship making an equivalent trip.

Construction of the first ship, which will be 136m long and have a sail surface of 4,200m2, is due to begin in the coming months.

It will be commissioned on a new transatlantic route between St-Nazaire, Baltimore, Halifax, and St-Pierre & Miquelon.

A second ship will follow as soon as possible to achieve a rate of departure of every two weeks.