The shipbuilding company Austal has received an order from Vela Transport to build an aluminium trimaran.
Delivery of the 100% sail-powered vessel is scheduled for mid-2026. As the first cargo ship in its class, it will have a length of 66.8 metres and is based on a concept by Paris-based company VPLP. The trimaran will be equipped with a sail system from ship designer Merconcep. The innovative freighter is being built by Austal Philippines in Balamban.
Austal builds first sailing freighter of its class
“Austal is delighted to be working with Vela to deliver this unique sailing cargo trimaran,” said CEO Paddy Gregg. The freighter will operate on pure wind power on the Atlantic Ocean.
According to Austal, this will allow the vessel to have a large cargo hold and greater flexibility, while offering sea keeping, efficiency and performance. In addition, the shallow draft of the trimaran will allow better access to secondary ports.
According to Vela Transport, its freighters’ sailing time from France to New York is between 10 and 15 days. They should be manoeuvrable in both light and heavy seas and able to load around 50 containers.
“With Austal, we are not just building a ship, we are helping to shape the future of international maritime transport,” added Pierre Arnaud Vallon, CEO of Vela Transport, based in Bayonne. “We are pioneering an era in which ships are powered by clean and inexhaustible energy.”
Vela had already presented the ship’s design in June 2023. The launch is due to take place next year before the trimaran is handed over to the French company.
