The world’s largest wind-powered cargo ships are now taking passengers. According to a report from CNN, the Artemis, which is one of the world’s largest ships with sails, just docked in New York after a 32-day test sail from northern France with four passengers in its newly available cabins.
How does the ship work?
The ship is run by the French startup company Transoceanic Wind Transport (TOWT), which now said it has cabins in its pair of cargo ships for people looking for a more carbon-conscious travel experience across the Atlantic Ocean.
According to the company, the ships reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 90% compared to traditional cargo vessels.
Each ship features up to six double cabins for passengers, who will share the vessel with a handful of crew members and hundreds of pallets of goods, from wine to olive oil and more.
Travelers will be provided with meals, including fresh fish, internet service and no luggage limit. However, accommodations are not cheap, and while travelers are packing, they may as well pack their patience too.
What’s the cost?
A trip from France to New York will cost you nearly $2,700, and the voyage would be between 15 to 20 days, depending on weather and sea conditions.
So far, the company said that it has received inquiries from around 1,500 potential travelers.
What are the company’s motives?
The company also warns travelers not to expect their journey to be like a cruise, noting that the main point of the ship is transport cargo from point A to point B, with only around 4% of its revenue expected to come from climate-friendly travelers.
The French company said that right now, there are only a pair of ships available for passengers, the Artemis and Anemos. However, they said they plan to expand the fleet by six additional vessels by 2027.
The founders of TOWT said the ultimate goal, since the company’s inception in 2011, has always been to revolutionize the trade industry by decarbonizing it, but the shipping cost is higher than traditional vessels.
The company said shipping around a ton of goods from Europe to the United States will cost customers more than twice as much as an engine-powered vessel would charge. However, they emphasized that organic methods traditionally cost more than artificial ones.
Currently, international trade through cargo ships reportedly accounts for around 3% of fossil fuel emissions globally.