First Commercial Installation Awarded for Michelin’s Inflatable Wind Sail

France’s Michelin Group confirmed the recent awarding of its first commercial contract for its innovative inflatable wind sail for shipping. The first installation will be on a new patrol boat for France.

The new vessel will be built by the Socarenam shipyards with designed by French naval architecture firm. Mauric. The contract for the design and shipbuilding was awarded in December 2024 by the Directorate General for Maritime Affairs, Fisheries and Aquaculture (DGAMPA) which is responsible for maritime surveillance on the French Atlantic coast. The tender was launched in January 2024.

With a length of 54 meters (177 feet), the offshore patrol vessel is designed fo…