Onboard the world's largest sailing cargo ship: is this the future of travel and transport?

Aboard the world's largest sailing cargo ship, where will this revolutionary vessel take us?

When a group of eight of us boarded the 136-meter-long Neoliner Origin at its maiden voyage from France, we expected an ordinary journey. Instead, we were met with a stormy night and winds reaching 74mph that left even seasoned sailors in awe. In such conditions, it's hard to think about anything other than survival.

As the vessel navigated through turbulent waters, I couldn't help but wonder if this was truly a harbinger of a new era for shipping – one where wind-powered cargo ships could decarbonise the industry and transform the way goods are transported. The idea may seem far-fetched, given the sheer scale of global trade, which relies on massive diesel-powered vessels that guzzle fossil fuels.

Yet, according to research by the International Council on Clean Transportation, 90% of shipping decarbonisation will require a switch from dirty bunker oil to greener fuels – renewable hydrogen, ideally. The Neoliner Origin is an ambitious pilot in this quest, boasting a reduced speed and harnessing winds to reduce fuel consumption by nearly half compared to conventional cargo ships.

But despite the vessel's innovative technology, it was not without its setbacks. Just three days into our journey, the front sail cracked and shattered, forcing us to spend 12 more days relying on the engine while we waited for a team of technicians to arrive in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon off Canada's coast and repair the damage.

This development left some of us wondering if the Neoliner Origin was truly ready for prime time. And what about its price? A two-week crossing from France costs €3,200 – roughly double the cost of a conventional cargo ship voyage.

Yet, I returned to earth with 22 days of travel under my belt, through nine cities and 30 hours on trains, which combined totalled just 35 hours in fuel consumption compared to what would have been required by conventional ships. While this may not be enough to prove the Neoliner Origin's viability, it was a resounding demonstration that there is value to be found at the low-carbon end of the spectrum.

As I disembarked at Baltimore harbour, Captain Petit spoke of his 15 years-long dream to bring sustainable shipping to life – a mission that would finally begin in earnest with this maiden voyage. While much work remains ahead, it was heartening to see how far we've come already.

I mean, who needs conventional ships when you can sail into the middle of a storm and hope for the best? 90% decarbonisation target, eh? Sounds like they're making progress... slowly? Like, €3,200 for a two-week trip from France? That's just gas prices minus love! Just kidding, I get it. The Neoliner Origin might not be the most practical ship yet, but hey, at least it's an effort to reduce carbon emissions and give sailors a good story to tell over pints .

I'm all for the Neoliner Origin's vision - who wouldn't want to reduce carbon emissions from shipping? However, I think we need to see more than just a few successful voyages before we can say it's ready for prime time... yet. The cost is still pretty steep and not sure if it's feasible for mass production . And what about the scalability? Can this tech be replicated on smaller vessels or even just ships in ports? Need to see more research on that front . Still, 22 days on a sail ship isn't so bad .

I'm low-key impressed by the Neoliner Origin, you feel? It's like they're trying to shake things up and make shipping more sustainable I get that there are still some kinks to work out, but 35 hours of fuel consumption vs conventional ships is still a big win And €3,200 for a two-week trip isn't too shabby either, right? It's all about finding that sweet spot between eco-friendliness and affordability

this whole 'sustainable shipping' thing is gonna take some time ‍... the fact that 90% of decarbonisation needs greener fuels is a bummer, but what's the timeline looking like? and €3,200 for a two-week crossing from france is still pretty steep . also, isn't there a risk of getting stranded mid-ocean with some tech failure ? can't help but feel that this vessel needs to prove itself in more extreme conditions before it becomes a viable option

You know what's wild? I just tried the new plant-based milk alternative at Starbucks and it's literally changed my morning routine . I mean, have you ever tried a matcha latte with oat milk? Game. Changer. But anyway, back to shipping... I wonder if they're gonna put those solar panels on the sides of cargo ships like those giant billboards in LA . That would be so cool! And can we talk about how boring regular cargo ships are just sitting there at sea for days? Not the Neoliner Origin, though - it was actually having an adventure! Maybe they'll start sailing to more exotic destinations or something...

Ugh, the website is giving me a headache again! Can't they just speed up the loading times?! Anyway, back to this sailing cargo ship... I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea of decarbonizing shipping. 90% of it needs to switch to greener fuels? That's ambitious, but also kinda worrying. What about all the jobs lost when these ships retire?

And oh man, that broken sail had me on edge! 12 extra days stuck at sea with no power is not exactly what I call "innovative". And the price tag of €3,200 for a two-week trip? No thanks. I'd rather pay more for a decent train ride than deal with sailing drama.

Still, I gotta give credit to Captain Petit and his crew for trying something new. It's definitely a start, even if it's just 35 hours of fuel consumption vs conventional ships. Maybe one day we'll have a whole fleet of Neoliner Origins cruising around the world... but until then, can someone please just fix this website?!

THE NEOLINER ORIGIN IS A GAME CHANGER FOR THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY!!! IT'S AMAZING TO SEE HOW WIND POWER CAN HELP REDUCE FUEL CONSUMPTION BY Nearly HALF!!! I MEAN, 35 HOURS OF FUEL CONSUMPTION OVER 22 DAYS IS A HUGE LEAP FORWARD AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT SAVING ENERGY, IT'S ALSO ABOUT DECARBONISATION AND REDUCING OUR ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT

omg did u guys see dat neoliner origin? i'm so hyped about dis ship! it's like, the future of shipping is here and it's powered by WIND 90% of shipping needs to go green ASAP and this vessel is a big step in that direction. i know, i know, it was a rough ride at first , but the tech they have is insane! harnessing winds to reduce fuel consumption by half? that's some next level stuff right there! and yeah, it's pricey , but 22 days of travel for €3k is still way cheaper than conventional ships . btw, did u see the vids of dat front sail cracking? what a mess!

I gotta say, this Neoliner Origin thingy is like something outta sci-fi right? A 136-meter-long sailing cargo ship, you're telling me? It's mind-blowing that they were sailin' through those crazy storms and still managed to harness the wind to reduce fuel consumption by nearly half .

Now, I know what you're thinkin', is it practical? The cost seems a bit steep for a two-week trip from France, €3,200? But think about all the emissions saved, that's gotta be worth somethin' . And 35 hours of fuel consumption compared to conventional ships? That's like savin' the world or somethin' .

It's not perfect, they had some setbacks, but it's a start. I'm lovin' the ambition and innovation behind this project. Captain Petit's dream is infectious . We gotta see where this thing takes us. Maybe it's just the beginning of a new era for shipping .

omg i just read about the neoliner origin and i'm so hyped! i mean sure it had some setbacks like that cracked front sail but still 90% of shipping decarbonisation is a pretty big deal and that reduced speed thingy was kinda cool too ️ i feel bad for the crew tho who had to wait 12 days for repairs but at least they got to see some amazing sights right? like nine cities in just 22 days that's not bad for a journey! and €3200 is still way cheaper than those diesel-powered monstrosities so i think this thing has potential

omg what an adventure!!! i'm so inspired by the Neoliner Origin's journey & all the tech behind it!! harnessing winds to reduce fuel consumption is def a step in the right direction for sustainable shipping and who knows maybe one day we'll see this become the norm? 90% of decarbonisation will require a switch to greener fuels, that's some serious progress!

omg did u know that wind power can be like super effective for sailing ships?? i just thought of my fav video game where they have these eco-friendly ships that dont use gas lol anyway back 2 the news... its cool that theres this new ship trying 2 reduce carbon emissions but isnt it crazy expensive?? €3200 4 a 2-wk trip? i could take like 10 trips on that and still have money left over

Just got back from the most epic sailing adventure and I'm still buzzing about the #NeolinerOrigin's maiden voyage ! As a seasoned traveler , I gotta say, 22 days at sea was no joke ️. But despite the challenges, it was totally worth it .

I mean, think about it - we're talking about a ship that can cut fuel consumption by almost half compared to traditional cargo ships . That's some serious #SustainabilityPower in action ! And let's not forget the #RenewableEnergy aspect - harnessing winds and whatnot.

Now, I know what you're thinking - it's gonna take a while for this tech to get widespread . But trust me, when it does, we'll be talking about a whole new era of shipping ! The #NeolinerOrigin may have had some setbacks, but it was still an incredible experience .

Price-wise? €3,200 is steep , but I'd rather pay that for the sake of our planet . Anyone else with me on this ?

the more i think about it the bigger the question becomes - are we just trying to adapt our old ways of doing things instead of innovating for a better future? like with this neoliner origin ship, it's amazing tech and all but still reliant on fossil fuels in some parts... what if we take that as an example and try something new?

This sailing cargo ship thingy is an interesting idea, but €3,200 for a two-week trip? That's still crazy expensive! And what about the damage that happened on day three? If they can't even handle that kind of stress, how will it hold up in real-world conditions?

I'm not buying the "it's a step towards decarbonisation" hype just yet. Where are the concrete numbers on this? Like, what exactly does the 90% figure mean? And how do we know these greener fuels aren't just a fancy marketing ploy to make the industry look cool instead of actually making changes?

It's one thing to sail through calm waters and another to navigate actual storms like that. Did they even have insurance for this kind of event? And what about the environmental impact? Is it really reducing fuel consumption by nearly half, or is that just a rough estimate? Some solid source numbers would go a long way in convincing me this is more than just a publicity stunt

So the Neoliner Origin is like, super big and it sailed across the ocean without burning too much fuel . That's cool, but what about those 4 days they spent in Canada waiting for repairs? Like, shouldn't that have been factored into the whole "reduced speed" thing? And €3,200 for a two-week trip is straight up crazy . How did we know it was worth it before they even left port? The article doesn't say anything about like, independent verification or testing of the ship's efficiency...

I just heard about the Neoliner Origin and I'm like "yaaas, wind power for all " But seriously, 90% of shipping has gotta switch to greener fuels? That's like me telling my wife she can't have pizza every night . Okay, not really, but it does sound ambitious! And €3,200 for a two-week trip? That's like buying a new gaming PC . But hey, at least the Neoliner Origin shows us that there's value in reducing our carbon footprint. Who knows, maybe one day we'll be sailing around on wind-powered ships and sipping champagne !

I don't know about you young folks, but back when I used to sail, we never thought we'd be lucky enough to even get a decent wifi signal on the high seas . But seriously, this Neoliner Origin is some crazy tech right? 90% of shipping needs to go green and that's like, a huge deal for the planet . And yeah, it's not all sunshine and rainbows – they had to stop mid-journey because of a cracked sail, but that's just part of the process, right?

I mean, I'm not saying we should forget about fossil fuels or anything, but if this vessel is reducing fuel consumption by nearly half, that's like, progress or something . And €3,200 for a two-week crossing? Yeah, it might be pricey, but think of the cost savings in the long run when you're not guzzling all that dirty oil .

Captain Petit's been working on this sustainable shipping thing for 15 years, and I gotta say, I'm all for it. We just need to keep pushing forward and figuring out those greener fuels . Maybe one day we'll be sailing around the world on nothing but sunshine and wind .

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea of sailing cargo ships . I mean, 90% of shipping needs to switch to greener fuels? That's a pretty big goal. The Neoliner Origin is definitely an ambitious pilot, but €3,200 for a two-week crossing? That's crazy expensive .

I've got to admit, I was skeptical when I heard about this ship, but the more I think about it, the more I see its potential. Reducing fuel consumption by nearly half is no joke . And having 30 hours of travel time in fuel consumption compared to conventional ships? That's a huge win for the environment.

It's all about progress, right? The fact that we've come so far already gives me hope for the future. Maybe one day we'll see a shift towards more sustainable shipping practices and fewer diesel-powered vessels. Until then, I'm excited to see where the Neoliner Origin takes us .