VELA unveils design of wind-powered trimaran cargo ship

French ship designer VELA has unveiled the design of a novel trimaran cargo ship that can use wind power to transport goods.

PHOTO: VELA’s trimaran cargo vessel concept. VELA

The company intends to utilise the vessel to transport goods across the Atlantic Ocean by using 100% wind power. The ship has been in development since last year and production is expected to start early 2024.

By using the trimaran design concept, the new vessel has moved away from the conventional single-hulled approach and will instead have three hulls inspired by “the modern technologies used for ocean racing.” A trimaran ship is a multihull vessel.

VELA claims the vessel can reduce emissions by 99% compared to conventional container ships.

“By harnessing the abundant wind resources of the ocean and not having to take fuel costs into account,” the vessel will also offer a high transport capacity of 51 TEU containers at a competitive price, VELA adds.

The company expects the vessel to take its first voyage, sailing the transatlantic route between Europe and the US, in mid-2025. It intends to sail from France to the US every nine days by 2028.

“Choosing the France-USA seaway was a no-brainer. The United States is the second largest export destination for French luxury products. Moreover, the wind is plentiful and predictable in the North Atlantic,” VELA’s co-founder Michael Fernandez-Ferri says.

VELA aims to have 30 trimaran cargo vessels by 2035.

By Tuhin Roy

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