<
https://thedriven.io/2024/07/30/austal-to-build-wind-powered-cargo-trimaran-that-will-ditch-diesel-on-trans-atlantic-routes/>
"Western Australian shipbuilder Austal has been awarded a contract to design
and construct a wind-powered aluminium cargo trimaran by the French designer
Vela Transport.
Founded in 2022, Vela Transport, founded in 2022, plans to operate cargo ships
for maritime transport that are 100 per cent sail powered.
The first-of-class aluminium cargo trimaran will measure 66.8 metres in length
and is based on a design unveiled by Vela Transport in mid-2023. It expects the
first vessel to make its maiden voyage in mid-2025 sailing the transatlantic
route between Europe and the United States.
While sail propulsion may seem a technological step backwards, Vela expects its
fleet of wind powered trimarans will offer a legitimate alternative to
conventional ships, one with a decarbonation rate up to 99% for propulsion and
which exerts a much reduced toll on the local environment.
According to Vela, the speed of their vessels, combined with its weather
routing solutions and unloading/loading process, will actually deliver a faster
crossing from harbour to harbour on the France to New York seaway, averaging
between 10 and 15 days.
The smaller size of the vessels will also allow them to access harbours that
are unable to accommodate larger cargo transport ships, further reducing costs
and CO2 emissions for the first- and last-mile operations in supply chains.
And while each vessel is able to carry the cargo equivalent of only 51 TEU
containers per trip – compared to the thousands that can be carried by
traditional vessels – the ability to deliver to strategically located harbours
at speed with lower costs and CO2 emissions means individual companies can cut
out the need for traditional shipping."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
