About Wisamo

From March 2020, a dedicated team has been put in pace to develop WISAMO solution inside the incubation program from Michelin Group (MIL) : WISAMO team was born and structures itself for an original project.
On 1st June 2021, WISAMO wingsail is officially presented at Movin’On international summit for sustainable mobility, being part of the innovation values of Michelin -the DNAs of the Group.
A first step is overcome thanks to the development and the installation of a 100sqm wingsail prototype on French navigator Michel Desjoyeaux sailing boat. It is tested on Neuchâtel Lake in Switzerland before navigating in the maritime environment of the Atlantic Ocean where it is currently used.

From January 2022, Michelin continues WISAMO development and forms a key partnership with Compagnie Maritime Nantaise MN – Groupe Sogestran, shipowner and symbolic actor of merchant maritime transportation.
In July 2022, WISAMO team leaves Clermont-Ferrand to settle in Nantes in order to get closer to the maritime ecosystem and its key network.
Simultaneously, the prototype tests keep on going with Michel Desjoyeaux sailing boat to continue technical developments with a continuous innovation mindset.

In January 2023, the wingsail is officially approved getting an AIP (Approval In Principle) from classification society DNV allowing the installation on a merchant ship from Compagnie Maritime Nantaise - MN.
Then a second 100sqm wingsail prototype is implemented on the MN Pelican Ro-Ro ship for several months of usage. The objective is to keep on going with tests in continuation of those already done, the only difference being that the system has been designed to be adapted to deep maritime conditions to serve as testing ground.
WISAMO prototype has well supported the maritime crossings, travelling 2,476 miles a week during many months in action, which corresponds to several hundred hours of navigation across the Biscay Bay and the Channel between Bilbao (Spain) and Poole (UK).

Following feedbacks from trials on the Compagnie Maritime Nantaise's MN Pelican roll-on/roll-off vessel, WISAMO brings now to the market a small, robust and standardized 170 m2 wingsail. Developed in collaboration with a number of players in the maritime ecosystem, it is aimed at a variety of vessels from 20 to 60 meters - or even slightly more - specific to transport and maritime activities, such as fishing boats, scientific units, patrol boats, offshore wind farm support vessels offshore works... A wide range of uses, thanks to the complete retractability of the system, which can also be fitted on pleasure yachts for an innovative and easy sailing experience.
For the ongoing development of the larger wingsail, WISAMO team is supported by Michelin Group's R&D, and continues to optimize the engineering work undertaken to date in order to meet market expectations as closely as possible.