Clippership, a company specializing in the development of autonomous wind-powered vessels, has announced the completion of the design of its first 24-meter vessel and the signing of the construction contract with the Dutch shipyard KM Yacht builders for the construction of its first cargo vessel.

The vessel is equipped with two folding rigid wings

The vessel is equipped with two folding rigid wings that provide wind propulsion and is designed to operate fully autonomously in the open sea, thanks to advanced weather-based route planning and optimization systems. The vessel has a cargo capacity of up to 75 Euro pallets in a climate-controlled hold.

Accordance with RINA regulations

The ship will be built in accordance with RINA regulations, with the aim of obtaining the classification as a "General Cargo Ship – Powered Sailing Ship" and the additional class notation WAPs (Wind Assisted Propulsion System). The vessel will fly the Maltese flag and is scheduled for launch in late 2026, with commercial operations starting on pilot routes between the Atlantic, the Caribbean, and South America.

The naval architecture by Dykstra Naval 

The naval architecture of the new vessel was developed by Dykstra Naval Architects, an internationally renowned firm known for innovative yacht designs such as the Maltese Falcon, SY Black Pearl, and Sea Eagle. Glosten, an American naval architecture and engineering firm based in Seattle, oversaw the structural engineering and auxiliary propulsion systems. Construction will be entrusted to KM Yachtbuilders in the Netherlands, a shipyard recognized for building robust and cutting-edge expedition vessels, including the Bestevaer, Pelagic, and Quilak series.

The autonomy software and rigid wing

The autonomy software and rigid wing design were developed by Clippership itself, offering an integrated solution optimized for safety, operational efficiency, and reliability on ocean routes.

Clippership’s compact ships move palletized cargo across the ocean on optimized point-to-point routes. Our alternative to traditional shipping reduces costs, shrinks warehouse-to-warehouse transit times, and boosts supply chain resiliency – while dramatically cutting carbon emissions.   

Related : RINA Expands in Southeast Asia with New Open Innovation Hub in Singapore

The new revisions of the following RINA regulations,

On the other hand The new revisions of the following RINA regulations, effective from 1 december 2025, have been published

:Regulation for the issuance of certification of conformity of factory production control (FPC) pursuant to Regulation (EU) no. 305/2011 relating to construction products.
- Regulation for the issuance of certification of constancy of product performance pursuant to Regulation (EU) no. 305/2011 relating to construction products.

The update involved the removal of the entire chapter 6, relating to the transfer of certificates for organisations already holding certification issued by notified bodies other than RINA.

These revisions reaffirm our commitment to ensuring clear processes that comply with European regulations, providing greater transparency and quality to our clients.

Rules for naval ships classification

Classification and technical advisory services are a voluntary choice for all types of naval ships and fast patrol vessels, ranging from small RIBs up to aircraft carriers, passing through patrol vessels, corvettes, frigates, LPDs, fleet tankers and mine countermeasure vessels.
The RINA classification rules are tailored on the specific needs of the Navy and periodically updated, with the purpose to supports the Navy in demonstrating the quality and safety policy adopted for its ships and crews.
Furthermore, they could allow the use of Commercial Off-The-Shelf materials, where there is no specific need to adopt materials designed in accordance with military standards.

Service Details

RINA has developed two sets of ad-hoc rules for the classification of military ships:

• Rules for the classification of Naval Ships (RINAMIL Rules), which are intended for the classification of steel ships, auxiliary and combatant, starting from corvettes and upwards
• Rules for the Classification of Fast Patrol Vessels, which are intended for the classification of high speed ships up to 65 m and built in steel, aluminum alloy or composite materials.

Source Italy Media + Press -Release

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