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The team at Sailcargo Inc. are building sustainable ships - Copyright Intern 05/

By Sharifah Fadhilah Alshahab & Pablo Jimenez

Published on 01/04/2024 - 18:30

It's all hands on deck as Sailcargo Inc. helps move shipbuilding towards a sustainable future.

Research estimates that maritime shipping accounts for about three per cent of global greenhouse emissions. However, several efforts to reduce the cost of shipping are underway, including the United Nations International Maritime Organisation's pledge to halve carbon emissions by 2050.

Sailcargo Inc. starts at the source. According to the company’s Chief Legal Officer, Thomas Coram, ships are currently built without much thought to what will happen to them in the future. This is why Sailcargo Inc. wants to build cargo ships out of wood instead of steel.

After 20 to 30 years of sailing, unusable parts of steel ships often find their final resting place in junkyards. In contrast, wooden ships are biodegradable. The environmentally-focused company adopts regenerative strategies throughout their process.

The company’s founder Lynx Guimon explains that they aim to plant 25 trees for every tree used in the construction of the ship. That’s nearly 12,000 trees before the ship hits the water.

Nothing goes to waste in Sailcargo's shipbuilding process. Offcuts are converted into charcoal, while the bigger pieces are gifted to the local community for good use.

Sailcargo Inc. hopes to expand its fleet of eco-friendly ships and contribute to reducing the global carbon footprint.