Source: Michelin/YouTube

The multinational company Michelin, primarily known for its tires, has set its sights on becoming a market leader in sustainable mobility. After announcing the development of a novel inflatable sail called Wing Sail Mobility (WISAMO) for 2021, the first product is currently being tested on a container ship between Spain and England.

Michelin’s initiative, originally announced at the Movin’On World Summit for Sustainable Mobility in 2021, aims to improve transport efficiency while conserving resources, which is crucial for promoting more sustainable mobility for our planet. The WISAMO project is an automated, telescopic, and inflatable sail system that can be installed on cargo ships and recreational boats.

WISAMO was developed in the canton of Fribourg at the group’s research center in Givisiez and initially tested on Lake Neuchâtel. The sail is now mounted on a ship belonging to Brittany Ferries, which has already conducted several test voyages, as reported by the newspaper La Liberté. The researchers in Givisiez have no plans to stop there, as they continue to work on a prototype set to be released in 2026-2027. This new version would increase the sail size from the current 13 meters to approximately 60 meters, potentially reducing ship fuel consumption by 10-20%.