In Costa Rica, a wooden ship is being built. The keel foundation is laid, milled timbers are drying and a skilled team from around the world is gathering at SailCargo Inc.'s so-called "jungle shipyard." The ambitious undertaking, which has been watched by the international community for nearly two years, is finally bearing fruit.
Ceiba (pronounced "say-bah") will be a three-masted square-topsail schooner designed to carry cargo. By drawing special attention to the business plan, initial skeptics have already been subdued: SailCargo has secured letters of intent from clients, ranging from several countries, who are eager to employ the ship's services of emission-free cargo as soon as possible.
As one future client, Kent Goodwin, founder of Canadian bean-to-bar chocolate company Organic Fair, stated, “Ceiba is the missing link in my otherwise sustainable supply chain.”
In three to four years, the 150-foot Ceiba will ply the Pacific waters of the Americas.
The ship will carry organic avocado oil, ethically sourced green coffee, raw cacao beans and Canadian barley, used for the craft-beer market. Ceiba will be able to carry approximately 250 tons and up to 350 cubic meters of freight, with more space available on deck.
This project is funded entirely by individuals investing in shares, which begin at just $100.
For more information, or to support the project or join the team, contact info@sailcargo.org.
