The maritime traditions continued with the steel-cutting ceremony for the second yacht in the Orient Express Sailing Yachts fleet. 

Orient Express Corinthian reached an unprecedented speed of 12 knots under sail only, marking a new phase for the ultra-luxury wind-powered cruise segment.

The largest sailing cruise ship ever built, the Orient Express Corinthian, has taken a significant step towards entering service. The shipyard considers the ship's recent propulsion trials a great success, as the ship was able to reach a speed of 12 knots under sail alone in winds of around 20 knots. This is a record for a ship of this size.

Steel Cutting Ceremony for the Orient Express Olympian

The maritime traditions continued with the steel-cutting ceremony for the second yacht in the Orient Express Sailing Yachts fleet. This marked the symbolic start of the industrial phase of the construction of the Orient Express Olympian, the sister ship of the Orient Express Corinthian. A fitting name for one the world's largest sailing yachts, the ceremony today saw the first of 80,000 pieces of steel cut for the hull. It took place at Chantiers de l’Atlantique’s steel-cutting workshop, where three plasma-cutting machines operate continuously.

The Orient Express universe knows no bounds

The Orient Express universe knows no bounds — a realm of dreams, discovery, connection, movement and emotion. With the Orient Express Corinthian and the Orient Express Olympian, the legendary Orient Express is set to sail the world’s most beautiful seas, offering an unparalleled travel experience and authentic shore destination discovery. Drawing inspiration from the golden age of luxury travel, Orient Express Sailing Yachts reimagines motion and comfort on the water, all while being designed to address today's and tomorrow's sustainability challenges. They are a source of pride for all of us,” said Sébastien Bazin, Chairman and CEO of Accor.

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The celebration of these two industrial milestones

'With the celebration of these two industrial milestones, we are witnessing the creation of exceptional ships that will go down in the annals of the most beautiful and high-performing vessels ever built in Saint-Nazaire. Today, we are also bearing witness to a significant advancement in the decarbonisation of the maritime industry. This technological breakthrough is the result of ten years of research and development on the SolidSail concept, as well as Chantiers de l’Atlantique's historical expertise in naval architecture and shipbuilding. Thanks to Orient Express, the world’s largest wind-powered yacht will set sail. We appreciate their trust in this pioneering project, which is an incredible adventure for everyone involved.” – Laurent Castaing, General Manager, Chantiers de l’Atlantique

The Orient Express Corinthian

The Orient Express Corinthian is scheduled to set sail in June 2026, offering itineraries across the Mediterranean, the Adriatic and the Caribbean. Engineered by Chantiers de l’Atlantique, this exceptional sailing yacht is a technological marvel with a sleek and elegant profile and stunning interiors designed by Maxime d’Angeac, Orient Express's Artistic Director. The Orient Express Corinthian will offer 54 suites with panoramic sea views, including six exceptional penthouse suites on deck 7 — a size never before seen in the cruise market. Boasting an exceptional crew-to-guest ratio, the ship will offer five restaurants, eight bars and lounges, an amphitheatre, a cinema room, a recording studio, and a sophisticated spa and wellness centre.

The shipyard considers the ship's recent propulsion trials a great success,

The largest sailing cruise ship ever built, the Orient Express Corinthian, has taken a significant step towards entering service. The shipyard considers the ship's recent propulsion trials a great success, as the ship was able to reach a speed of 12 knots under sail alone in winds of around 20 knots. This is a record for a ship of this size.

Accor is entering the cruise sector with an ultra-luxury

It is noteworthy that the French group Chantiers de l'Atlantique built the vessel for the Orient Express brand, which is part of the Accor hotel group. With this project, Accor is entering the cruise sector with an ultra-luxury offering. The ship is set to enter service in 2026, introducing a new range of high-end cruises, initially with Mediterranean itineraries.

The most ambitious attempts to integrate wind propulsion 

The Orient Express Corinthian is one of the most ambitious attempts to integrate wind propulsion into modern commercial shipping. Measuring approximately 220 metres in length with a gross tonnage of around 25,200 tonnes, the vessel far exceeds the size of current sailing cruise ships, which generally weigh no more than 15,000 tonnes.

There are 54 suites on board for up to 110 passengers, and a large crew is on hand to ensure the ultra-luxury service standards typical of this segment. The ship's technological heart is the SolidSail sailing system, which was developed by the French shipyard.

Related : RINA to classify 24-meter wind-powered reefer cargo vessel

Three carbon fibre masts

Three carbon fibre masts, each approximately 69 metres tall and mounted on balestron rigs capable of rotating 360 degrees and tilting up to 70 degrees, provide propulsion. Each mast supports around 1,500 square metres of rigid sail, giving a total sail area of around 4,500 square metres. This setup makes more efficient use of the wind while reducing aerodynamic drag compared to traditional sails.To make sure it can keep going even when there is no wind or when it is manoeuvring in the port, the technical configuration includes a hybrid propulsion system powered by LNG.

The project is rooted in over a decade of technological development.

However, in favourable conditions, the vessel is designed to sail primarily, with an estimated top speed of approximately 17 knots. The project is rooted in over a decade of technological development. The concept of a large sailing cruise ship was presented by the French shipyard as early as 2009 with the Eoseas project. Numerous tests were conducted on scale models and technology demonstrators in the years that followed, including a 50-square-metre prototype sail installed at the Saint-Nazaire industrial site.

Related : IWSA: Survey to gauge perception of emission and wind propulsion

The initiative towards alternative propulsion systems.

The initiative is part of a growing trend in the cruise and maritime sectors towards alternative propulsion systems, driven by environmental regulations and market pressure for more sustainable solutions. In the case of the Orient Express Corinthian, the aim is to reduce emissions while operating smaller vessels offering high-end services, which is closer to the concept of a yacht than a large cruise ship

The programme also includes a second sister ship

The programme also includes a second sister ship, the Orient Express Olympian, which is currently under construction and scheduled for delivery in 2027. The creation of this small fleet demonstrates the Accor group's commitment to the luxury sailing cruise segment, which is attracting interest from other major hospitality brands with similar high-end cruise yacht projects.

Source : Press - Release + Shipping Italy

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