The carbon fiber masts are nearly 70 m tall.
During sea trials, the ship Orient Express Corinthian set a new speed record for sailing vessels of this size. With a following wind speed of 37 km/h, it managed to accelerate to 22 km/h. The maximum calculated speed is 32 km/h, which is quite significant for a vessel measuring 219 m in length and displacing 25,000 tons, moving solely under sail power.
There is also an engine for maneuvering and movement in the absence of wind, as required by safety regulations. However, it is the innovative Solid Sail sail system that is the pride of the engineers at Chantiers de l’Atlantique. Its development and testing took 17 years before the system was deemed suitable for installation on a truly large ship.
The carbon fiber masts are nearly 70 m tall, with three masts each carrying 1,500 sq. m. of sail. A special mechanism allows the masts to not only rotate 360 degrees but also tilt up to 70 degrees. This helps catch any wind and simplifies the passage of the ship under bridges, as the overall height of the structure can be adjusted for different tasks.
The Orient Express Corinthian serves both as a demonstrator of the new sail system and a commercial vessel. On board the liner, there are 54 cabins for 110 passengers. This is just the first in a series – steel cutting for the second ship, named Orient Express Olympian, is already underway at the shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, and it will be launched in 2027.
