This week, a partnership of cargo brokers and travel agents announced their cooperation in a new sail liner ferry service between Amsterdam and Porto, calling at ports in the United Kingdom and France. This will be the first sustainable liner service by the shipping company EcoClipper.
The liner service, for passengers and cargo, will start operating from April 22nd 2023, departing from Amsterdam at 10am CET. The two masted ship De Tukker, will be EcoClipper’s first sailing ship to engage on this trade and travel route.
This vessel will be able to take up to 12 passengers and a maximum load of about 70 cubic metres of cargo, all propelled by the clean power of wind. This new shipping line will sail on a scheduled service calling at the ports of: Amsterdam, Penzance, Porto, Noirmoutier, Saint Nazaire, Torquay, London and Scheveningen.
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Partnering with the cargo brokers and shippers New Dawn Traders, Fairtransport, Shipped by Sail and Port O’ Bristol as well as the travel agents Fair Ferry, Classic Sailing and Windseeker, EcoClipper is planning three round trips annually.
All of our partners specialise in sustainable travel. Bookings can be made with one of these agents or directly via the EcoClipper website.
Alexandra Geldenhuys, founder and director of New Dawn Traders said, “From dockside fanfare, sail-cargo industry meetings, we are raising awareness around fair-transport, ocean conservation and food sovereignty, and supporting a growing industry for sail shipped goods.”
Karel De Boer, founder of Fair Ferry said, “We started pioneering sustainable travel on sailing ships before the pandemic. It turned out that the demand of travellers was three times larger than the supply of vessels. The travellers booking these trips have very different backgrounds: it goes from backpackers who do not want to fly, to retirees with the funds and time.”
According to Capt. Jorne Langelaan, founder and CEO of the sailing ship operator EcoClipper, “For some years now, an anti-flying movement known as “flight shame”, has been developing in Europe. Recently a return to long distance train travel has been seen, and now the return of the sailing vessel is imminent.”
This new service comes at the same time as a new proposal from the European commission to reduce greenhouse gases in shipping by 55% by the year 2030. Furthermore, there is increasing demand for sustainable and emission-free connections between the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France and Portugal.
Adam Purser, founder of Classic Sailing told us, “For us a real sailing boat or sailing ship is one which makes your heart skip a beat as it comes around a headland, or makes a commercial fisherman look up from his nets and smile as you sail past. Working together with EcoClipper, we think it shows the way ahead for the future of shipping.”
Source: EcoClipper
