Offshore racing naturally remains at the heart of its activities, as demonstrated by the multihulls supported by MerConcept that will be on the starting line of the Route du Rhum on November 1: Tom Laperche's SVR-Lazartigue trimaran and Anne-Claire Le Berre's Ocean Fifty UpWind by MerConcept.
But MerConcept is no longer simply focused on helping skippers win races. The company is now applying its expertise in foils, composites and wind-assisted propulsion to maritime transport. Among its current projects is the VELA cargo trimaran, for which MerConcept designed the deck layout and is coordinating the installation of the rig, including two 171-foot (52 m) carbon masts. Another project is a 100% electric, 39'4" (12 m) ferry destined for Concarneau, capable of carrying 45 passengers and six bicycles, with its launch scheduled for late 2026.
Other developments include the FOIL Infinity project, which enabled testing of a repairable composite foil at speeds exceeding 40 knots aboard SVR-Lazartigue, and Bluebird, a 39'4" (12 m) electric foiling catamaran launched in 2022.
These achievements illustrate just how far MerConcept has come since François Gabart's early days, as well as the new opportunities offered by technologies originally developed for offshore racing.
