How to make maritime transport of goods greener, less carbon-intensive, while remaining profitable?
This is the somewhat crazy and unprecedented challenge launched by two brothers, Olivier and Jacques Barreau ten years ago.
Manufacturers of chocolate and coffee wafers for the organic brand Grain de Sail in Morlaix in Brittany, the two Bretons have invested two million euros in the construction of a freighter with sails, the first of its kind standardized merchant marine in the world, for fetch their raw material themselves and bring it back to the Breton coast, using the force of the wind alone.
The project and the construction of this 24 meters with three sails 24 m high, will have taken a total of four years.
Launched in November 2020, the “Grain de Sail” is now on its 4th Atlantic crossing.
Left three months earlier from Saint-Malo to New York to deliver French organic wine (the cargo ship never leaves empty), before continuing its loop in the Dominican Republic to load this time with cocoa mass and beans. coffee, the crew returned on July 14 to Brest, the holds full of nearly 45 tonnes of goods.
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“Look at him, he looks great,” says Olivier Barreau, smiling broadly, happy and impatient as a child, joining the crew still located a few miles from the coast, on a motorized zodiac.
“It's a great adventure, the boat has shown that it is reliable.
It certainly takes more time than a motor freighter, but this project is also a kind of praise for slowness.
Today, everything must go fast, too fast, even if it means polluting.
We refuse to go in this direction.
We are happy to take our time and do things differently, ”argues this convinced environmentalist.
"Carrying out maritime trade without polluting is possible"
With a modern and technical design, the freighter with sails can reduce its carbon footprint by 95 to 98% throughout its crossing. To meet the needs of the crew (heating, air conditioning, etc.) and on-board electronic instruments, the boat is also equipped with small wind turbines, hydro generators and photovoltaic panels.
"All of this shows that it is possible to conduct maritime trade without polluting," adds Jacques, his twin brother. Even if for the moment, loading capacities are limited, the way is open ”. The two chocolatiers and now freight carriers already have their eyes riveted on the “Grain of Sail 2”, a version twice the size of the first born, which should see the light of day by 2023. “With this one, we will be able to load 10 times more goods, or 350 tonnes, ”they enthusiastically.
