Vehicle-powered cargo: towards a more sustainable mode of transport

Network container boat

70% of freight is transported by sea and is responsible for 11% of global GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions from transport. The volume of goods transported will continue to increase between now and 2050, so if nothing is done, these same emissions will increase by 60%.

Do real low-energy solutions exist?
Yes and no, today's vegetable propulsion only addresses small volumes. For a shipper, offers to decarbonize its maritime transport are not widely available and face major obstacles:
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Uncertainty on the price of low-carbon transport
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Traceability of new fuels
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Availability of alternative fuels
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Lack of industrial solutions

As we could not find an answer to our needs on the market, we wanted to promote breakthrough solutions that would allow us to make a real energy transition in the supply chain and shipping based on energy sobriety.

SCLCMT: Collaboration at the heart of the development of extraordinary ships

and create SCLCMT
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France Supply Chain and AUTF join forces
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After 5 months of maturation, in January 2022, 12 shippers launched the Shippers' Coalition for Low Carbon Shipping. They have joined forces thanks to the alliance of 2 major associations of the sector, France Supply Chain and the Association of Freight Transport Users (AUTF).

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Objective:
-50% lessCO2 emissions than conventional transport
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Objective:
-50% lessCO2 emissions than conventional transport

From this alliance was born the project to bring together the conditions that would allow the launching of container ships, mostly propelled by wind power, as early as 2025.

Shippers' coalition for low-carbon shipping embarks on a long journey

The association is organized by route. Each maritime link has its own college to ensure confidentiality and efficiency of the work. The needs of shippers are not limited to the transatlantic ones, so we are studying new links. You can get involved in the one of your choice, according to your capacities and means.

College 1 North Road
Antwerp, Le Havre, Tioga (Philadelphia), Charleston
College 2 South Road
Genoa, Fos, Valencia, Tioga (Philadelphia)
College 3
Baltic Sea - North America
College 4
Europe - Asia
College 5
Europe - South America via Africa

To learn more about the progress of each project, visit the corresponding college page.

Pages under construction - coming soon

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Learn more about the project of maritime link to Africa through this replay

An innovative and sustainable choice, that of wind propulsion

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Williwaw container carrier by Zéphyr et Borée

Our co-association is betting on the wind as the engine of tomorrow's ships, but also on the energy efficiency of all systems. It is thanks to the development of new aerodynamic structures, on-board energy recovery technologies as well as tools for optimizing the use of wind that we will be able to reach our objectives.

The characteristics of the transatlantic services will be:

  • 5 boats per line
  • Weekly departures
  • 80% reduction in energy consumption
  • 46 to 51%* reduction inCO2 emissions
  • Capacity of 600 to 1080 containers (20 feet)
  • Speed of 11 and 13 knots, i.e. 20 to 24 km/h
*The data are based on the link and the load volume

Innovation and collaboration are also at the heart of the SupplyChain4Good project for sustainable mobility.

HOVER TO DISCOVER OUR COURSE
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January 2022

Co-creation of the shippers' coalition for low-carbon shipping

February 2022

Call for tenders for two weekly transatlantic routes between Europe and North America

July 2022

Selection of the start-up company Zéphyr et Borée, designer, manufacturer and operator of vessels with vellic propulsion

December 2022
  • 19th member charger
  • Jury Prize at the2nd Night of the Supply Chain
2023

Production of the first ships

2023

Opening of 3 new colleges to allow the exploration of 3 new lines

Early 2025

Launching on routes 1 & 2

  • January 2022: co-creation of the shippers' coalition for low-carbon shipping

  • February 2022: call for tenders for two weekly Europe-North America transatlantic routes

  • July 2022: selection of the start-up company Zéphyr et Borée, designer, manufacturer and operator of wind-powered ships

  • December 2022: 19th member of the loader, Jury Prize at the2nd Night of the Supply Chain

  • 2023: production of the first ships

  • 2023: opening of 3 new colleges to allow the exploration of 3 new lines

  • Beginning of 2025: Launching of routes 1 & 2

Building the right transportation mode at the right price

With this project, the coalition is questioning the notion of a fair price. We seek to maintain economic competitiveness, but above all to find a balance between cost and social and ecological impacts.

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This is a real business decision, we want to transform this industry and to do that, we need to take a long-term view.

Géraud Pellat de Villedon, Secretary General of the Shippers' Alliance and Michelin's CSR Supply Chain Manager

By committing to a 10-year contract with ship operators, we can count on a stable price for the years to come despite a volatile context. But above all, we have to see the benefits of being forerunners and being part of such an adventure.

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