If a rising tide lifts all boats, a Swedish tech consortium is quite literally riding the sustainability wave to make great ideas happen. Ship design firm Wallenius Marine, maritime consulting firm SSPA, and the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm are all joining forces to create Oceanbird — a completely wind-powered transatlantic car carrier.
The wPCC (wind-powered car carrier) will be capable of carrying 6,000—7,000 vehicles according to the consortium. It will be the world’s largest sailing vessel, but big doesn’t necessarily mean harmful. The ship will reduce emission with 90% as compared to other fright ships. A transatlantic journey will naturally be slower than its fossil-fueled competitors, you will have to wait twelve days instead of seven for your car to arrive from overseas.
The ship measures 200 meters in length and 40 meters in width and can handle 32,000 tonnes of cargo. The sails will be made out of metal and composite and reach a staggering 80 meters in height, making the ship 100 meter high together with its body. Oceanbird will up for sale for shipping lines at the end of next year.
