CARGO SAILBOATS
Shipping aims to be climate-neutral by 2050 – and modern cargo sailboats could be the answer. A new generation of wind-powered ships is already successfully testing emission-free transport across the Atlantic.
The shipping industry is under increasing pressure. Currently responsible for around 3% of global CO₂ emissions, it aims to become climate-neutral by 2050. To achieve this goal, wind power is emerging as a potential game changer. A remarkable experiment is currently underway on the world’s oceans to find the best possible way to harness wind energy. Largely unnoticed by the global public, France launched the first modern cargo sailing ship in 2020 – and it proved a success. The pioneering company Grain de Sail transported cargo across the Atlantic in an innovative sailing vessel powered solely by wind. This prototype is seen as the blueprint for a new generation of larger, more efficient cargo sailing ships. Technically, these vessels are inspired by high-performance racing yachts used by professional sailors like Boris Herrmann. Equipped with carbon masts, optimised hulls and digital weather- routing systems, they are capable of fast, safe and energy-efficient voyages. Just as racing car technology drives progress in the auto industry, these new advances are groundbreaking for ship design. Cargo sailing ships are already demonstrating that if shipping is to become truly climate-neutral, wind power may be the only viable way forward.