The "Blue Wave" trawler in its home port of Guilvinec.
At the end of August 2021, Jean-Baptiste Goulard's vessel aroused curiosity in the Bigouden port, with its diesel-electric engine.
At the port of Guilvinec (Finistère), the Blue Wave, a new trawler, attracts the attention of regulars on the quays. Arrived ten days ago at her home port, this 22m by 6.90m boat is, in many ways, different from the others. It is equipped with a diesel-electric hybrid propulsion system.
On board, two 750 kW generators produce the current necessary for the operation of the ship. A technology that the owner Jean-Baptiste Goulard was very fond of. “Normally, this should save us energy and reduce our carbon footprint. "
For the Bigouden, the aim of this operation was "not to improve efficiency, but to reduce the energy cost and to respect the sea better. Today, we cannot embark on a new construction without starting there.".
At the port of Guilvinec (Finistère), the Blue Wave, a new trawler, attracts the attention of regulars on the quays. Arrived ten days ago at her home port, this 22m by 6.90m boat is, in many ways, different from the others. It is equipped with a diesel-electric hybrid propulsion system.
On board, two 750 kW generators produce the current necessary for the operation of the ship. A technology that the owner Jean-Baptiste Goulard was very fond of. “Normally, this should save us energy and reduce our carbon footprint. "
For the Bigouden, the aim of this operation was "not to improve efficiency, but to reduce the energy cost and to respect the sea better. Today, we cannot embark on a new construction without starting there.".
French equipment manufacturers:
The Blue Wave is the only Bigouden boat equipped with such a system, and one of the few in France. The trawler also intrigues with its straight bow (the front of the hull), "which allows better penetration into the water", explains the owner.
The project was born five years ago from a concept by Jean-Baptiste Goulard and his crew. “We started from scratch and wondered what we wanted on board. "It is therefore not surprising to find large and comfortable relaxation areas and individual cabins there".
For this long-term project, delayed by the Covid, the shipowner has surrounded himself with French equipment manufacturers, such as Bopp for hydraulics, Barillec for electricity and Thomas Froid for refrigeration.
But for construction, Jean-Baptiste Goulard turned to Morocco and the Souss-Massa company in Agadir. “We looked for solutions to do it in France. But we got no funding, not even for innovation. And without help, it would have cost too much. By doing it in Morocco, we saved a third of the budget,” he said. The investment, supported by the armament, still reached 2.7 million euros.
But the satisfaction is already there. On the road from Agadir to Guilvinec, "we consumed about 20% less than with other boats", appreciates Jean-Baptiste Goulard. Figures that will remain to be confirmed during the first tides expected before the end of September. The trawler, rigged for deep-sea fishing, will leave for twelve days in western Brittany with four sailors aboard.
The project was born five years ago from a concept by Jean-Baptiste Goulard and his crew. “We started from scratch and wondered what we wanted on board. "It is therefore not surprising to find large and comfortable relaxation areas and individual cabins there".
For this long-term project, delayed by the Covid, the shipowner has surrounded himself with French equipment manufacturers, such as Bopp for hydraulics, Barillec for electricity and Thomas Froid for refrigeration.
But for construction, Jean-Baptiste Goulard turned to Morocco and the Souss-Massa company in Agadir. “We looked for solutions to do it in France. But we got no funding, not even for innovation. And without help, it would have cost too much. By doing it in Morocco, we saved a third of the budget,” he said. The investment, supported by the armament, still reached 2.7 million euros.
But the satisfaction is already there. On the road from Agadir to Guilvinec, "we consumed about 20% less than with other boats", appreciates Jean-Baptiste Goulard. Figures that will remain to be confirmed during the first tides expected before the end of September. The trawler, rigged for deep-sea fishing, will leave for twelve days in western Brittany with four sailors aboard.
