Here’s a story that we like to come back to from time to time since it is both unique and involves sailing cargo ships from the old school. Based in Costa Rica, Sail Cargo is a shipping company that is dedicated to sustainable practices across their operations. Their core value is to use only the wind and renewable fuels to drive ships that can carry commercially viable cargos.
The funny thing about this somewhat romantic vision is that they have already achieved their goal. Six or seven times a year, their 137-foot ship Vega sails from Columbia, South America to New Jersey carrying 80 metric tons of green coffee beans. The company does not always make the return passage laden with cargo, but they have increasing interest from US shipping concerns.
The Vega was built in Sweden in 1909 and rebuild between 1992 and 2008. Prior to being converted for cargo carrying, Vega was a training ship built to passenger-ship standards that could carry a crew of 48 cadets.
Sail Cargo admits that depending on the wind for power and dealing with the vagaries of weather and the hurricane season means that they are slow and do not keep to rigid schedules. Their customers in the Fair Trade Coffee market don’t mind and have been key supporters of the business.
Vega is Sail Cargo’s second ship and was purchased and refit in order to get the business operating. The primary vessel that will be the company’s flag ship is under construction. The Ceiba will be a 150-foot three masted schooner with square sails forward. She will be capable of carrying 180 metric tons of cargo.
The build process on a waterfront lot on the edge of the jungle in central western Costa Rica, is going forward with pains-takingly slow progress. The craftsmen are local, and they are building in the traditional way using traditional tools.
Ceiba will have two electric motors that drive variable pitch propellers for auxiliary power. When sailing the propellers become water generators that recharge the large lithium-ion battery bank.
Costa Rica is one of the world’s leaders in sustainable power generation and is on course to have a zero carbon footprint by 2050. The country is blessed with natural wind, solar and geothermal energy sources and has had generations of visionary leaders. So, it is no surprise that an eco-friendly sailing ship cargo company would find its home here.
When Ceiba gets closer to her launch date –not published on their website—we’ll revisit the story and bring you an update. Read more here.
