Splash247: Medicines to be shipped across the Atlantic by trimaran

Japanese biopharmaceutical company Takeda has tapped Bordeaux-based VELA Transport to transport its products between Europe and the US using VELA’s first-of-its-kind sailing cargo trimaran. 

VELA designed and will operate a fleet of new generation aluminium sailing cargo vessels, powered 100% by wind when at sea. Purpose-built to handle pharmaceutical products, VELA will offer reliable, secure and ultra-low-emission sea freight shipping. The maiden voyage is planned for late 2026, capable of carrying 600 pallets. 

VELA intends to achieve delivery times under 15 days for its transatlantic crossings, leveraging offshore racing technologies, direct routes and more efficient port operations in secondary ports.  Scaling its business by building a fleet of five trimarans by 2028, VELA plans to transport up to 48,000 tons of goods per year. The trimaran is 65 m long and 25 wide, with an average speed of 14 knots.
Due to its by-design stability, the trimaran is expected to be the only cargo sailing vessel in the world that does not use water ballasts.

“Delivering life-transforming treatments across the Atlantic using only the power of the wind is a powerful example of what sustainable business practice can achieve. Together, we are building a new standard for maritime transport: efficient, sustainable, safe, and resilient,” said Pierre-Arnaud Vallon, CEO of VELA.

France is home to many advanced wind-assist shipping pioneers.