Collaboration Advances Lower-Cost Sail Freight for Coastal Shipping

The Center for Post Carbon Logistics (CPCL) has announced a new collaboration with Catran Naval Architect’s TradeSailer Project and Bay State Sail Freight to complete the design of the TradeSailer 120 coastal freight vessel. This 39-foot ketch-rigged cargo vessel is designed to operate with two crew members on coastal routes. The CPCL said in its August 20 press release that the TradeSailer 120 is a pioneer vessel that will help prove the value proposition of moving freight off U.S. highways and onto waterways, opening markets for larger sail freighters to follow. It is designed for modest capital investment, and has a cargo capacity of 9 pallets (up to 635 cubic feet or 7.75 short tons). 

CPCL said these vessels will be able to lift pallets of up to 550 lbs., using a crane built into the TradeSailer 120’s main boom. It is equipped with an auxiliary motor for emergency and docking use. The ability to handle pallets without stripping and re-stacking them saves time, and makes the vessel entirely compatible with the logistics chain at either end of the voyage. It also removes the need for shoreside supporting infrastructure, providing the ability to both compete and cooperate with conventional systems for cost and convenience.  

Plans for the TradeSailer 120 can be purchased off the shelf, allowing for immediate construction estimates and building at local shipyards, reducing the time between announcement of a project and having an operational vessel by 12-18 months, and saving $40,000 of engineering costs. This gives start-ups a degree of confidence in their financial calculations and capacity predictions when pitching to investors. 

“Most sail freight start-ups suffer from two major barriers to entry,” explained Steven Woods, CPCL Director of Research and Development. “First, start-ups face considerable engineering and capital expenses that can be difficult to predict or estimate. Second, it can be hard to maintain enthusiasm for months after announcing a sail freight service and before there are construction photos to share. Our collaboration with the TradeSailer Project and Bay State Sail Freight drastically reduces both of those barriers.”

For more information please contact: Steven Woods, Director of Research and Development, the Center for Post Carbon Logistics: Steven@PostCarbonLogistics.org.