The Neoliner Origin, the world's largest sailing cargo ship, has completed its two-week maiden voyage from France to Baltimore, with the aim to demonstrate a cleaner future for the shipping industry. The 446-foot-long vessel, powered primarily by two large carbon-and-fiberglass sails and supported by a diesel-electric engine, carried eight passengers, a dozen-plus crew members, and more than 1,300 tons of cargo—including half a million bottles of Hennessy cognac and eight hybrid Renault cars, reports the Guardian.
The goal: to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80% over those of conventional diesel cargo ships, in an industry responsible for roughly 3% of the world's carbon emissions and heavily reliant on dirty "bunker" fuel. The company hopes to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, per Chesapeake Bay Magazine.
The trip wasn't without its challenges, as detailed by the Guardian. Early on, one of the sails became damaged and unusable, forcing the crew to rely more on the ship's engine while a repair team was flown in to fix the problem mid-journey. Despite these setbacks, initial estimates suggest the Neoliner Origin used about half the fuel of a traditional cargo ship on this route.
Still, some experts question whether wind power alone can realistically scale to meet the demands of global shipping, where ships continue to grow larger. There's also the question of cost: Building the Neoliner Origin set owners back nearly $70 million, and a passenger ticket for the two-week journey goes for about $3,700. Reuters offers a closer look at the vessel.
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