LD Armateurs (LDA) is set to enhance four of its RoRo vessels—including three new-builds and the existing Ville de Bordeaux—with Ascenz Marorka’s cutting-edge Voyage Optimisation solution. This technology is specially tailored to wind-assisted ships and is expected to substantially boost performance and fuel efficiency by seamlessly integrating wind propulsion systems into each vessel’s digital twin and leveraging precise weather routing.
The installation builds on a year-long trial that began with onshore simulations in April 2024, followed by onboard deployment aboard the Ville de Bordeaux in early 2025. Operating on transatlantic routes, the vessel provided a perfect real-world testbed for verifying both the system’s accuracy and crew usability.
Key features slated include seamless integration of sail performance data via polar curves, high‑accuracy weather forecasts, and an intuitive crew interface. These are backed by Ascenz Marorka’s Real-Time Fleet Performance Monitoring Centres, offering 24/7 oversight by experienced mariners.
LDA’s CEO, Samira Draoua, emphasised that this move aligns perfectly with the company’s decarbonisation strategy, as the optimisation helps harness wind power to cut CO₂ emissions and reduce fuel consumption.
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🌍 Broader Impact
This deployment signals a leap in maritime innovation, reflecting an emerging trend: integration of digital tools and sail power to decarbonise shipping. By optimizing wind propulsion with advanced weather routing and real-time oversight, LDA and Ascenz Marorka stand at the forefront of smarter, greener shipping operations.
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🔍 Interesting Fact
This is among the first implementations of voyage optimisation software explicitly tuned for wind-assisted RoRo vessels—a noteworthy milestone that may accelerate adoption across other vessel types in the future.
LDA Adopts Voyage Optimisation Tech for Wind‑Assisted RoRo Fleet
By
/ July 21, 2025 
