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.
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 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 
... 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 
. 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...
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.
AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT SAVING ENERGY, IT'S ALSO ABOUT DECARBONISATION AND REDUCING OUR ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT 
it's like, the future of shipping is here and it's powered by WIND 
i know, i know, it was a rough ride at first 
harnessing winds to reduce fuel consumption by half? 
that's some next level stuff right there! 
what a mess! 
.
. We gotta see where this thing takes us. Maybe it's just the beginning of a new era for shipping 
but still 90% of shipping decarbonisation is a pretty big deal 
️ 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 
, I gotta say, 22 days at sea was no joke 
️. But despite the challenges, it was totally worth it 
.
! And let's not forget the #RenewableEnergy aspect 
- harnessing winds and whatnot.
. But trust me, when it does, we'll be talking about a whole new era of shipping 
.
?
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 
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