French shipping company Vela Transport and pharmaceutical manufacturer Takeda have entered into a partnership wherein Takeda's products will be transported between Europe and the US using Vela Transport's sailing trimaran cargo vessel.
The ship, which will also be designed by Vela, is scheduled to begin operating on the route by late 2026.
The vessel will be of all-aluminium construction and will use sails as its primary propulsion on transatlantic voyages while a backup engine will be available for manoeuvring in harbours.
Vela said it will also be equipped with a refrigeration system that will be temperature-controlled and powered by renewable energy generated on board. This will ensure the cold-chain integrity required to maintain product safety and quality.
Vela intends to achieve delivery times under 15 days for its transatlantic crossings, which the company said will be faster compared to containerised sea cargo freight.
Vela plans to introduce a fleet of five trimarans by 2028 to enable transport of up to 48,000 tons of goods per year.