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“ The operational complexity of these shipments reflects the broader evolution of the market,” Fritschi said.“ Logistics providers are now expected to manage not only the physical movement of space components but also the regulatory, engineering and risk mitigation aspects of each mission.”
This includes navigating export controls, ensuring vibration and temperature stability, and aligning with launch schedules and orbital servicing windows.
Greener handling
Wind power is playing a central role in the logistics for the European Space Agency( ESA) Ariane 6 program, as part of ESA’ s environmental commitments.
The launcher elements of the heavy-lift rocket Ariane 6, manufactured in Europe, are being transported to ESA’ s spaceport in French Guiana on board the 121-meter-long Canopée, a custom-built roll-on / roll-off vessel fitted with four 37-meter-tall OceanWings sails.
The sails fitted to the Canopée reduce fuel consumption on the rotation by between 25 % and 30 %, and halve the cost of shipping the parts, said Louis Laurent, head of the Ariane 6 program.
“ Our environmental commitments were at the center of the decision taken early in the Ariane 6 program to build the most efficient vessel in terms of costs and carbon footprint,” he told the Journal of Commerce.
The hybrid propulsion vessel rotates between five ports to load Ariane 6 components and ship them across the Atlantic. The rotation goes from Bremen, Germany, where the upper stage is loaded, to Rotterdam to load the rocket’ s fairing, Le Havre, France, for the core stage for Ariane 6, and finally Bordeaux, France, for the solid propulsion elements, before a 10-day trans-Atlantic crossing to the port of Pariacabo in Kourou, French Guiana, where all the components are offloaded and transported by road to the Ariane 6 launch vehicles assembly building a few kilometers away.
The Canopée is expected to complete the port rotation up to 12 times a year.
“ Today, we are not at the maximum for Ariane 6, but we are ramping up to 10 to 12 launches per year,” said Laurent.“ So, the vessel is not at maximum use now, but next year will be almost fully occupied.”
The vessel is chartered and operated by shipping company Alizés, which can use it elsewhere if there is capacity.
The Canopée was built by Neptune Marine Projects in the Polish port of Sczezcin. Sea trials beginning in December 2022 included a crossing from Rotterdam to Kourou, and the four sails were installed in 2023.
“ The sails enable a very significant reduction in fuel. It is not a concept, but has been demonstrated in reality, in more than two years of operations between Europe and South America,” said Laurent.“ The vessel is part of our sustainability program, which also includes our commitment to deorbit the upper stage at the end of the mission, rather than leaving it in orbit. Ariane 6 is the first program to have this policy to clean up in space when the mission is done.”
Ariane 6 weighs almost 900 metric tons when launched with a full payload. The two versions have the flexibility to
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Marc Cowie North America CEO, Trans Global Projects
launch both heavy and light payloads to a range of orbits, for applications such as Earth observation, telecoms, meteorology, science and navigation.
A plethora of challenges
ESA’ s Ariane 6 program demonstrates the physical challenges of handling space cargoes. Yet logistics complexity lies not only in the physical nature of the cargo, but also in the regulatory, operational, and geopolitical landscape surrounding space-related shipments.
Another challenge is confidentiality.“ Space-related cargo often involves proprietary technology and missioncritical components,” Cowie said.“ This limits the ability to share operational details with subcontractors or even internally across teams.”
“ Any delay in transport can have cascading effects across mission schedules.”
As a result, logistics providers must implement heightened security protocols, discreet handling procedures and close coordination with clients and government agencies.
Timing is also critical.“ Space components are frequently tied to fixed launch windows, meaning any delay in transport can have cascading effects across mission schedules,” Fritschi said.“ This demands contingency planning, priority access to transport modes and constant communication with stakeholders.”
But there are opportunities on the horizon. With orbital congestion and space debris becoming critical concerns, Fritschi believes logistics providers will be called upon to support missions focused on debris removal, satellite repositioning and end-of-life asset management.
“ This opens a niche for companies with engineering capabilities and secure transport solutions for sensitive and hazardous materials,” he said.
email: carly. fields @ spglobal. com email: felicity @ felicitylandon. com
Peter Fritschi Group COO, Trans Global Projects
December 2025 | Journal of Commerce 17