Computed Wing Sail

About Computed Wing Sail

Computed Wing Sail (CWS) is a French engineering company established to address the maritime industry's reliance on fossil fuels by developing a wind-assisted propulsion system. Founded in 2019 by a group including Julien Morel and Bruno Toubiana, the firm is built upon Morel's invention of the patented Airfin technology. Toubiana, a co-founder, now serves as the Chief Financial Officer. The company has its headquarters in Paris and a production facility in Saint-Nazaire, France.

CWS designs and manufactures a rigid, foldable wingsail system for cargo ships, which can be retrofitted onto existing vessels or integrated into new builds. The core of the company's technology is a patented inversion system for its thick, asymmetric sail profile, which is inspired by aeronautics. This design provides a high lift-to-drag ratio, allowing it to generate consistent propulsion from nearly all wind directions and enabling efficient tacking. The system is fully automated, requiring no additional crew to operate, and can be folded to reduce air draft when necessary. By assisting a ship's main engine, the technology promises to significantly reduce fuel consumption by an estimated 30% to 50%.

The company's business model centers on selling this wind propulsion hardware directly to ship owners and operators in the maritime transportation sector. Its revenue is generated from the sale of the wingsail systems, which includes the wings, control systems, class approval, and crew training. CWS also offers preliminary performance assessments and detailed integration studies for potential clients. To accelerate its production capabilities, CWS secured €12 million in a 2025 funding round, comprising €6 million in equity and €6 million in convertible bonds, from investors including Supernova Invest and Bpifrance's Maritime Decarbonization Fund. The company has already secured its first order from the shipping company Windcoop for a vessel to be launched in 2027 and plans to install a full-scale demonstration model in early 2026 to attract further customers.