Clippership

To wrap up 2024, we’re thrilled to welcome Nico Cymbalist to the show. Calling from California, Nico will introduce us to Clippership, one of the few wind propulsion projects in the US.

Nico, an aerodynamic specialist and former engineer at Mercedes Formula One and Tesla, founded Clippership a year ago with three partners. The company’s ambition is to transport pallets faster and more cost-effectively than existing methods.

In this captivating interview, Nico shares how his passion for sailing and autonomy led him to secure investment from 50 Years, a renowned California-based venture capitalist firm. 

Unlike the traditional European approach, Clippership’s development strategy is distinctively innovative. They embrace the credo: start small, fail fast, learn and grow faster.

Besides discussing the project, Nico offers fresh insights into the development of sailing cargoes and highlights the roadblocks encountered on this recent journey.

Grain de Sail 3

To launch the fourth season of Hoisting the Sail, we are delighted to welcome back Grain de Sail, the pioneer in modern, wind powered ocean shipping operating sailing cargoes since 2020. Stefan Gallard, marketing director is joined by Jacques Barreau, CEO and co-founder. 

In our first discussion with Stefan in 2021, he detailed the inception and early stage development of Grain de Sail, its unique business model: a shipowning company with a maritime business but also a land-based business with manufacturing plants for the production of chocolate and coffee, sold and distributed under the Grain de Sail brand. 

Please join us to learn more about Grain de Sail 2, the 51 meter, 350 tons schooner launched in March 2024 and sailing the Atlantic between Saint Malo, New York and Guadeloupe. 

In an exclusive interview, Jacques Barreau delivers a fine and accurate analysis of the emerging sailing cargo business and reveals the first details of the third vessel of the fleet, a 3 masts with a capacity of 200 EVP, a breakthrough in the wind propulsion business. 

Made in France – Transport maritime décarboné

Wind Support annonce l’ouverture du 27 mars au 15 juin 2024 d’une boutique éphémère à Manhattan – New York. De très nombreux produits iconiques et Made In France, tous acheminés par voiliers cargo, seront proposés à la vente avec un objectif : montrer que ce transport décarboné et respectueux de la planète est disponible immédiatement.

Le premier semestre 2024 présente de nombreuses opportunités de renforcer le message que Wind Support délivre depuis 3 ans : la propulsion vélique est “live”, elle a sa place dans la décarbonation du transport maritime, grâce en particulier à la course au large qui a permis de continuer à innover dans le domaine. Deux gros voiliers cargo, Grain de Sail II et TOWT Anemos viendront pour la première fois décharger leurs cales à New York, en provenance respectivement de Saint Malo et Le Havre. En parallèle, Wind Support organise l’arrivée de la Transat CIC (ETA 8 Mai pour les premiers Imocas) et le départ de la New York Vendée le 29 Mai : une flotte de plus de 30 IMOCAs naviguera en baie de New York pendant 3 semaines ! 

C’est pour soutenir cet événement exceptionnel et faire la preuve par l’exemple que le transport de marchandise à la voile est disponible et rentable aussi bien économiquement que d’un point de vue environnemental que Wind Support a décidé d’ouvrir une boutique éphémère du 27 mars au 15 juin. D’une surface de 140 m2, cette dernière sera installée au Seaport, quartier historique du Sud de Manhattan qui abrite le South Street Seaport Museum, musée retracant l’histoire de New York et le Tin Building, un marché ouvert par le chef Alsacien Jean-Georges Vongerichten qui comprend 12 restaurants, bars et un marché de produits frais.

La boutique offrira à la commercialisation de nombreux produits de haute qualité, Made In France (20-30 marques, maximum 100 références ). L’objectif est double : faire connaître l’excellence à la française de sociétés qui ont placé le développement durable au cœur de leur activité et montrer la pertinence aussi bien technologique qu’économique du transport à la voile puisque l’intégralité de ces produits aura été acheminé par voiliers cargos.

 

En complément de la boutique, un espace d’information sera également ouvert au public afin d’expliquer le cycle de vie des produits et la logistique nécessaire pour les acheminer à New York. « Partenaires et soutien de Grain de Sail depuis trois ans, nous sommes convaincus de la pertinence du transport de fret maritime par propulsion vélique » explique Laurent Corbel, un des deux fondateurs de Wind Support. « Mais là les étoiles sont en train de s’aligner : deux des plus gros voiliers cargos du monde vont décharger pour la première fois des produits Made In France à New York en montrant une fois de plus que c’est possible et rentable, pour les marques comme pour les armateurs. Atteindre le zéro émission pour le fret maritime n’est plus une illusion, c’est une réalité et c’est maintenant. » 

Quelques emplacements sont encore disponibles dans la boutique et il est encore temps de faire partie du voyage ! Pour en savoir plus c’est ici

Innov’sail 2023

Meet our team at Innov’Sail 2023, May 29th to 31st.

The 2023 program is very exciting again this year, with expert speakers from VPLP, Wisamo, D-Ice, Norsepower, Mer Concept and many more!!
 
Foil, performance, life cycle analysis with a zoom on wind propulsion on Wednesday.  
 
On our booth, we will introduce FinX motors: inspired by Nature, FinX develops a responsible, secure and clean nautical mobility.
 
 

 

 

 

Call for content

Webb InstituteUS Merchant Marine AcademyMARIN and Wind Support NYC are pleased to invite you to contribute to our Sustainability in Ship Design and Operations (SISDO 2023) conference on November 6 – 7, 2023. The event will bring industry professionals and academics together to discuss the latest technology, concepts, and case studies, building on the success of our conference from last year. 
 
We are currently accepting abstract submissions – either papers or presentations, as well as poster submissions for our first-ever student poster session.

Important Dates 
May 15, 2023               Abstracts due 
June 1, 2023                Abstract approval notification 
June 15, 2023              Conference registration opens 
July 17, 2023               Paper/presentation draft due 
September 1, 2023     Paper/presentation comments returned 
October 1, 2023          Final content submission 
November 6-7, 2023  Conference at Webb Institute, USMMA

Don’t miss this opportunity, and we look forward to seeing you on November 6th! Mark your calendars!
 

Please see the attachment for more information.

Wind Corridor #1 – Washington to Alaska

We are currently studying the role wind propulsion can play to reduce the emissions from the shipping activity on the trade route between the states of Washington and Alaska. 

Wind Support NYC develops and promotes maritime projects that advance wind propulsion solutions and increase the use of wind – the free renewable energy available at the point of use – in the energy mix.  

This study is supported by the Ocean Conservancy, a US foundation that advocates at the IMO and in Washington DC to decarbonize shipping completely by 2040. Through this study, Wind Support NYC and Ocean Conservancy will expose the key role wind propulsion can immediately play on the pathway to zero emission shipping. The results of the study will be released in April 2023: the report will be made publicly available and we also intend to present the results in a few conferences centered on wind propulsion & sustainable shipping.

The first part of the study introduces the route, i.e. the cargo transported, the ports of calls, the weather & sea conditions as well as the existing fleet sailing between Seattle Tacoma and the ports of Alaska. 

In a first call, wind propulsion technology developers are invited to contribute and assess feasibility, impact and cost of retrofitting one RoRo vessel (TOTE North Star) sailing between Tacoma and Anchorage.

The second call is addressed to shipping companies operating (or developing) new wind enabled commercial vessels. By introducing those vessels in the study, our aim is to demonstrate that wind harnessing technology is an energy saving device, but can also replace fossil fuels as the main source of propulsion. 

 

Governors Island

We launch today Season 3 with an interview of Clare Newman, the president and CEO of  the Trust for Governors Island. Kat and Clare discuss many facets of sustainability and adaptability – New York City since Sandy, the current and future developments on Governors Island, its maritime facade and the many experiments that can be run from the Island. Governors Island, located South of Manhattan and East of the Statue of Liberty, was originally used by the Lenape as a hunting  & fishing camp, before becoming an US Army base and, from 1966 to the mid 90s, a base for 3,000 US Coast Guards. Since 2010, the Island is run by the Trust for Governors Island, a 501(c)(3) non-prof­it orga­ni­za­tion cre­at­ed by the City of New York respon­si­ble for the plan­ning, oper­a­tions and ongo­ing devel­op­ment of Gov­er­nors Island.   Credit Julienne Schaer/The Trust for Governors Island

Invest in Sail Cargo Inc

Sail Cargo Inc

I am writing to you from onboard the cargo schooner Vega, anchored outside the Swedish town of Dalarö, about 20 miles or 30km South East of Stockholm.  I can hear the anchor windlass hauling up the anchor now, we will set out for Stockholm within the hour.  By the end of the day we should be in the drydock, inspecting the vessel to see if she will be fit for purchase.  It is from this perspective that I am writing you to to share something exciting: we have officially launched our brand, SAILCARGO INC., as a top holding company. Our first move is to purchase the vessel Vega, and begin to ship cargo this year.
 
As you can imagine, this has been a major undertaking for our team. Some investors of Ceiba may not understand the significance of this opportunity. In case you are not familiar with our corporate structure, I will give a brief description:
Currently, you are a shareholder of Inversiones Maritimas Ceiba S.A., a Costa Rican company limited by shares, which owns the beautiful vessel Ceiba (check out some recent photos, attached!). This type of company is not able to scale up in the way that investors dream of… it is always going to be about one ship: Ceiba. Now, for the first time, we are inviting existing shareholders of Ceiba to join the top holding company.  SAILCARGO INC. has exponential potential, the ability to expand across sectors.  SAILCARGO INC. is positioned to become a powerful brand with a grand vision:
 
· constructing and operating a fleet of wooden, emission-free ships,
· working with existing certification societies to establish a powerful label,
· building a product brand supported by the label,
· designing an app to unite all clean power cargo vessels,
· taking a leading stake in the green hydrogen maritime sector,
· and more (see attached business plan).
 
 
NEW INVESTMENT IN SAILCARGO INC.
At this time, we are opening up to receive new investments to SAILCARGO INC. with a specific mission in mind.
 
Our vision has become a reality earlier than expected. Vega, the wooden cargo schooner from the same design inspiration as Ceiba, has been offered to me personally for purchase through SAILCARGO INC. With the momentum given to us by our major cargo client and the ever-growing support of our investors, we are in the position to move forward with the purchase of this unique vessel. By the end of this year, Vega will sail cargo emission-free. She will soon make a profit, and propel all other endeavours under the SAILCARGO INC. umbrella.  By acquiring Vega in May 2022, this topholding company can provide the service our clients are waiting for, paving the way for all other vessels of the SAILCARGO INC. fleet, including Ceiba and Pitaya. 

SAILCARGO INC. has opened fundraising in light of this promising acquisition.  Our team has been working on the Vega project quietly for over a year, and in November 2021 two objective surveys of the ship were conducted (we will be doing the third and final survey next week). We are confident with the decision to acquire Vega. As of this moment, we are trying to raise $2.6M for Vega.  We are grateful to say that we currently have $1.3M+ pledged towards this funding round.  You will find additional information attached.  If you would like to invest in our top holding company as an early supporter, we would be extremely grateful.  If so, please complete the single-page form (attached, #2).

 

 

_____ 

 

 

 

Thank you for all of your support: after all this time, we are in a position to take our vision to the next level with you. 
 
 
Kindest regards from the fjords of Sweden,
 

Danielle