Having earlier collaborated with Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) on the concept design, the Finnish company will now deliver the basic and detail design.

Each vessel will feature six auxiliary wind propulsion Flettner rotors and two dual-fuel engines running on marine gas oil and e-methanol, all for the new fleet to cut the average annual transatlantic CO2 emissions from 68kt to 33kt by 2030.

The freighters - constructed by Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group and owned and operated by LDA - are expected to set sail in 2026. They will offer a carrying capacity of around 70 forty-foot containers and room for six single-aisle aircraft subassembly sets (as Airbus chose LDA to modernise the company's entire fleet of chartered vessels that transport subassemblies between its European and US production facilities).

Photo: Deltamarin