Multipurpose
Transport industriel maritime fluvial
Our MultiPurpose Vessel (MPV) line specializes in the transportation of rolling and conventional goods. It offers a direct service from Northern Europe to French Guiana and the French Antilles with the Marfret Niolon, a vessel with a capacity of 1212 ML, equipped with a ramp suitable for transporting heavy loads.
A service dedicated to the transportation of rolling and conventional goods
The MPV service transports everything that cannot be containerized.
It ensures a regular 42-day connection between Le Havre, Antwerp, Dégrad des Cannes, and Pointe-à-Pitre, complementing our containerized offer through our other regular lines.
We operate this service with our RoRo vessel Marfret Niolon. Its capacity of 1212 linear meters allows it to load a wide range of rolling goods: trailers, construction machinery, fire trucks, tankers, buses, light vehicles... The vessel can also accommodate sailboats on its deck or hazardous cargoes on the return from the Antilles and French Guiana. It provides real solutions to the hazardous waste treatment sector, which suffers from a lack of specialized sites overseas.
The advantages of the MPV service
Our first asset is experienced teams and mastery of the entire logistics chain.
We offer a wide range of specialized equipment including mafi trailers, spreader bars, and cradles for transporting sailboats. The MPV service also provides 45′ curtainside containers, particularly suited for transporting construction materials such as drywall sheets or big bags of cement.
Another advantage is that the MPV service benefits from a connection with Marfret’s Ferrymar service from Pointe-à-Pitre. This allows us to extend the service to other Caribbean destinations, including Fort-de-France, Saint Barthélemy, and Saint Martin.
A sail-assisted propulsion system recognized by Armateurs de France
Committed to the energy transition, Marfret has equipped the Marfret Niolon with 21st-century sails. Four aluminum wings have been deployed on the RoRo vessel, propelled by the Trade Winds on the MPV line. These wings use the wind’s force—a clean, free, and inexhaustible energy source—as valuable assistance for navigation, reducing fuel consumption by 10 to 15%.
The wings, which are easily deployable, are installed in 40-foot containers. Inside, the control and hydraulic systems facilitate the deployment of the sails and their stowage during port maneuvers. The watch officer decides from the bridge to raise the sails automatically based on weather conditions.
The sail system deployed by Marfret on the MPV service received the Blue Charter Trophy from Armateurs de France in 2022, recognizing Marfret’s efforts in decarbonizing its operations.