The cormorant is our muse. Elegant, agile and resilient, it moves with the elements rather than against them. Inspired by its ability to adapt, our wings combine wind and sunlight to help propel vessels and reduce their energy consumption.
We are developing a new way of sailing: more efficient, more intelligent and designed for the realities of commercial shipping.
Cormoran is an industrial start-up based in Lorient, France, developing France’s first rigid solar propulsion wing.
Our technology combines wind propulsion and solar energy within a single wing. Equipped with photovoltaic panels, it is designed to integrate with a wide range of commercial vessels, from smaller ships to large bulk carriers and container ships.
From 10 to 500 m², each wing is custom-designed to match the vessel, its operating profile and the specific requirements of its shipowner.
Our ambition is simple: to turn nature’s forces into a genuine source of performance for maritime transport.
A maritime engineer and naval architect, Laurent Mermier began his career in 1993 at Leroux & Lotz Naval.
He went on to lead a number of innovative projects, including high-speed vessels for Corsica and Le Levant, operated by Compagnie des Îles du Ponant. He later became Deputy Technical Director of Alstom Leroux Naval before founding his own naval architecture firm, Ship ST, in 2002.
Holder of six invention patents, including one sold to Chantiers de l’Atlantique, Laurent has built his career around maritime innovation, with projects ranging from vertical-bow vessels and high-efficiency propeller-pump systems to the Polar Pod.
A passionate sailor with a strong focus on energy efficiency at sea, he conceived the idea of combining wind propulsion and photovoltaics following discussions with Ship ST’s clients and prospective customers.
An idea that would eventually give birth to Cormoran.
Marine Rialan leads the development of Cormoran.
An entrepreneur and sailor, she previously raised funding and developed the start-up Beyond the Sea before joining Wind Ship, the association bringing together key players in the wind-powered maritime transport sector.
She later crossed the Atlantic by sail, an experience that further strengthened her conviction that wind energy can become a powerful driver of change for maritime transport.
Today, she brings her entrepreneurial experience, industry knowledge and passion for the sea to Cormoran.
