Shipping rockets: Ariane on board
The Ariane 6 launcher elements are manufactured in mainland Europe and then transported by a novel ship called Canopée (canopy in French) to Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana. The ship is the first custom-built transporter to use sails, reducing emissions and saving on fuel by up to 30%.
The next-generation cargo ship has been designed for ArianeGroup to meet the complex requirements of Ariane 6 transport – the stages and engines of Ariane 6 are high-tech equipment that require care during transport.
The hybrid-propulsion vessel is 121 m long and has 37 m tall sails. Canopée will rotate continuously between five ports of call to load Ariane 6 stages and sub-assemblies together and ship them across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe’s spaceport.
Collecting the upper stage from Bremen, Germany, Canopée stops over at Rotterdam, The Netherlands, to load the rocket’s fairing that protect its satellites during launch, before moving on to Le Havre, France, to load the core stage for Ariane 6. The last stop before the Atlantic crossing is the port of Bordeaux, France, collecting solid propulsion elements.
The 10-day transatlantic crossing ends in the port of Pariacabo, Kourou, in French Guiana. Canopée’s structure is tailored to carry large, fragile loads as well as navigate the shallow Kourou river to Pariacabo harbour. From here the various Ariane 6 components are offloaded and transported by road to the new Ariane 6 launch vehicle assembly building just a few kilometres away. Here, the launcher stages are unpacked and installed on the assembly line for integration and then launch.
Wind power for rocket engines
Canopée will complete its seafaring route up to 12 times a year to supply Ariane 6 stages for integration and then launch on its 15-year expected life. The ship is the first purpose-built hybrid transport vessel. Its four sails will reduce fuel consumption over a normal diesel-powered ship by 30% a year and halve costs of shipping Ariane 6 parts.
Construction of Canopée began in 2020 in the Polish port of Sczezcin. The project is led by the maritime company Alizés.
The ship was tested extensively and proved its seaworthiness by December 2022. Its first trip to Kourou left from Rotterdam harbour to arrive in January 2023. This trip formally ended its sea trials, while also assured the harbours it visits were ready for port operations.
The four sails were fitted in the Summer of 2023 making the ship complete and ready for operations.
Technical details:
- Length: 121 m
- Width: 22 m
- Sail height: 37 m
- Displacement: 10 000 tonnes
- Maximum speed: 17 knots (31 km/h)
Hybrid propulsion:
- Two diesel engines with 3840 kW power
- Four Oceanwings sails, 363 m2 each
Construction:
- Charterer : Alizés, joint-venture of Jifmar Offshore Services and Zéphyr & Borée
- Client : ArianeGroup
- Ship builder: Neptune Marine Projects B.V.