The MV Canopée, the world’s first hybrid propulsion commercial cargo vessel made its inaugural U.S. visit to Port Canaveral. The specially designed Ro-Ro (roll on- roll off) delivered the European Service Module (ESM-3) module, which will fly on the NASA SLS Artemis-III mission to the moon for the first time since the Apollo era.

"Port Canaveral was thrilled to welcome the MV Canopée on its first visit to the U.S. and proud to support NASA and their European Space Agency partners as they prepare for a historic return to the Moon,” stated Capt. John Murray, Port Canaveral CEO. “The design and purpose of this sail-assisted commercial vessel is unique for the maritime transport sector in both innovation and the type of cargo it carries for space exploration."

The MV Canopée docked at Port Canaveral’s North Cargo Berth 1 (NCB1) (Photo: Canaveral Port Authority)

Ambassador Services International (ASI), stevedore for the operation, oversaw the delicate removal of the module from the vessel and the loading onto a flatbed truck for transport to the Kennedy Space Center north of Port Canaveral.

Launched in 2022, the MV Canopée is a French-flagged cargo vessel, designed and purpose-built by ArianeGroup to transport Ariane 6 rocket components from ports in Europe to French Guiana for the European Space Agency. The vessel uses both wind and fuel for propulsion and is the first large-scale hybrid sailing cargo vessel ever constructed.

Operated by the French company Alizés, the vessel is 400 feet long and 72 feet wide, with four wing sails consisting of two flaps, one forward and one aft. They can turn 360 degrees to catch the wind at the right angle and their designers claim they generate far more power than conventional sails. According to the vessel builder, the use of sails allows the vessel to save up to 30% on fuel consumption per trip.