Costa Rican Hybrid Sailboat Is The Ultimate Zero-Emission Vessel In The Making

Costa Rica is changing the way the maritime industry views emission with a new carbon footprint reducing sailboat.

Zero Emission Sailboat for the Future

Reuters reports that hundreds of workers from different nations are working day and night on the Pacific coast to build the sailboat. These 200 workers from 27 nations are building the ultimate carbon neutral sailboat that can carry up to 350 tons of cargo.

The company behind this is Sailcargo Inc which is inspired from Finnish trading schooner Ingrid of Aland Islands. Sailcargo says that their vessel Ceiba is a first of its kind sailboat in the world which will run on wind power with the help of its 2 auxiliary electric engines. The ship will manoeuvre in ports at low winds.

Ceiba-Rendering_SAILCARGO — Image Credits: sailcargo.org

Making It Economically Profitable

At present the firm’s concentration is to make this an economically profitable environmental solution .

“One of the most important things is to prove that it’s financially profitable”, says Danielle Doggett Chief Executive of Sailcargo. At present the vessel is under construction in one of the most poor fishing regions of Costa Rica in Punta Morales, 125 Kms away from the capital of Costa Rica, San Jose.

Doggett who founded the company with her adventurer partner Lynx Guimond believes this is possible. The former ship captain has put his faith and experience to build this. The powerhouse Canadian couple is looking to finish building the sailboat prototype Ceiba by 2021. They have named it after a sacred tree revered by the natives of Central America.

Ceiba Hybrid saiboat - eco-friendly - carbon footprint — Image Credits: National Political Mirror – YouTube

The vessel will start operating in Canada, Ecuador and Hawaiian routes by 2022 through which they are planning to recover 6 years investment worth $4.2 million

Ultimate Eco-friendly Vessel for Costa Rica

Sailcargo’s Legal Representative & Co-founder, John Portrays said that they want to build a zero-emission vessel which can run under the Costa Rican flag.

“We want it to be a flagship ship that carries the Costa Rican flag with products that can be truly sold under the seal of ‘zero emissions’ like coffee, turmeric, salmon, barley and others.”

Today the 148 foot long Ceiba is being built with wood from Costa Rican forests and plantations amidst the cocophony of Sawa, Sanders and mallets