DHL to ship transatlantic freight with wind-powered sailboats

DHL Global Forwarding France is preparing to add wind-powered transatlantic freight to its portfolio, in a move the company says is aimed at customers looking to cut emissions without sacrificing speed or visibility. Working with French operator VELA, the logistics group plans to move palletised less-than-container-load cargo on sail-powered trimarans that will run direct services between selected secondary ports on either side of the Atlantic.

The initial focus is on sectors that are especially sensitive to handling, timing and condition, including pharmaceuticals, luxury goods, cosmetics, aerospace and wine and spirits. DHL says the service will incorporate freight organisation, pre-carriage, on-carriage, customs work, warehousing and related logistics, while VELA provides the sailing vessel and maritime operation. According to the companies, the arrangement is intended to fit into existing supply chains rather than create a separate process for customers.

VELA says its transatlantic line is designed to connect France and the United States in under 15 days, with cargo carried entirely by wind at sea. The operator claims the service can move freight two to four times faster than conventional ocean shipping and is built around cold-chain control, security and pharmaceutical-grade handling. VELA also says the route has a target annual capacity of 48,000 tonnes, positioning the project as a niche but potentially scalable alternative to conventional container shipping.

The vessels themselves are central to the pitch. VELA describes its trimaran design as offering greater stability than a monohull, with limited heeling and a broad work platform intended to simplify loading and unloading while reducing risk to sensitive cargo. The company says each ship can carry 600 EU pallets per voyage on direct routes such as Caen-Ouistreham to New Haven, and that the system is meant to combine lower emissions with the kind of traceability and reliability that higher-value shippers expect.

Source Reference Map

Inspired by headline at: ^[1]

Sources by paragraph:
– Paragraph 1: ^[2], ^[3]
– Paragraph 2: ^[2], ^[4], ^[5]
– Paragraph 3: ^[3], ^[6]
– Paragraph 4: ^[2], ^[6], ^[7]

Source: Noah Wire Services

Verification / Sources

• https://www.dcvelocity.com/transportation/maritime-ocean/dhl-to-ship-less-than-containerload-freight-by-sailboat – Please view link – unable to able to access data
• https://www.dcvelocity.com/transportation/maritime-ocean/dhl-to-ship-less-than-containerload-freight-by-sailboat – DHL Global Forwarding France has partnered with VELA to offer lower-emission shipping solutions on selected transatlantic routes. This collaboration involves using wind-powered cargo trimarans for transporting palletized Less-than-Container Load (LCL) shipments. The service is tailored for industries such as pharmaceuticals, high-value and luxury goods, cosmetics, aerospace, and wine & spirits, ensuring speed, reliability, traceability, and security. Each wind-propelled ship will carry 600 EU pallets per transatlantic trip, operating direct routes between strategic secondary ports like Caen-Ouistreham and New Haven.
• https://vela-transport.com/en/ligne-maritime/ – VELA operates a unique transatlantic shipping line connecting France directly to the United States in under 15 days. Their 100% wind-powered trimaran delivers cargo two to four times faster than conventional ocean freight, ensuring reliability, security, and strict cold chain management to the highest standards, including GDP Pharma certification. The service is designed to be the most decarbonized way to cross the Atlantic, with a target line capacity of 48,000 tons per year.
• https://www.takeda.com/newsroom/newsreleases/2025/vela-partnership/ – Takeda has partnered with VELA Transport to ship medicines across the Atlantic using the world’s first wind-powered cargo trimaran. This collaboration marks a new era of sustainable shipping in the pharmaceutical industry, with VELA operating a fleet of sailing cargo vessels powered 100% by wind when at sea. The vessels are purpose-built to handle pharmaceutical products, offering reliable, secure, and ultra-low-emission sea freight shipping.
• https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250915848833/en/Takeda-and-VELA-to-Ship-Medicines-Across-the-Atlantic-Using-First-of-its-Kind-Wind-Powered-Trimaran – Takeda and VELA Transport have announced a business partnership, with Takeda set to become the first biopharmaceutical company to transport its products between Europe and the U.S. using VELA’s first-of-its-kind sailing cargo trimaran. VELA designs and operates a fleet of new generation sailing cargo vessels, powered 100% by wind when at sea, purpose-built to handle pharmaceutical products, offering reliable, secure, and ultra-low-emission sea freight shipping.
• https://mezha.net/eng/bukvy/vela-s-sail-powered-trimaran-to-cut-transatlantic-cargo-emissions-by-99/ – VELA’s fully wind-powered cargo ship is set to significantly shorten transatlantic transit times and reduce emissions, with service possibly starting as early as the beginning of 2027. The 67-meter-long, 25-meter-wide trimaran will be able to carry just over 400 tons of cargo. The trimaran’s design features two smaller hulls on either side of the central hull, with a mast over 60 meters above the water. On board, there are living and working spaces, as well as temperature-controlled cargo holds, powered by solar panels and two hydrogen generators. VELA states that the average speed will be about 14 knots – the equivalent of a modern container ship – on the route between New Jersey and Normandy or Bordeaux.
• https://vela-transport.com/why-a-trimaran-sailing-cargo-ship/ – VELA’s trimaran design offers enhanced stability compared to single-hull cargo ships, with minimal heeling (maximum lateral heel: 4 degrees on VELA, compared to around 20 degrees on a monohull), ensuring comfort and safety for both crew and sensitive cargo. The wide, 82-foot work platform streamlines maneuvering, speeds up loading/unloading, and keeps nearly all cargo on a single level. The trimaran is built to the highest standards of commercial shipping, ensuring safe navigation, with each pallet secured in monitored compartments, and direct shipping routes reducing handling and risk.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 8

Notes: The article was published on June 23, 2026. A similar announcement was made by VELA and Takeda in September 2025, indicating that the concept of wind-powered transatlantic freight has been in development for some time. (takeda.com) The partnership between DHL and VELA was announced in June 2026, suggesting that the content is relatively fresh. However, the concept itself is not entirely new.

Quotes check

Score: 7

Notes: The article includes direct quotes from Michaël Fernandez-Ferri, Managing Director of VELA. A search for these quotes reveals that they have been used in previous announcements, such as the partnership with Takeda in September 2025. (takeda.com) This suggests that the quotes may have been reused, which could affect the originality of the content.

Source reliability

Score: 8

Notes: The article is published by DC Velocity, a reputable source in the logistics and supply chain industry. However, the content heavily relies on information from VELA’s official website and press releases, which may introduce bias. The article also references a press release from Takeda, which is a corporate source. This reliance on company-provided information raises concerns about the independence of the sources.

Plausibility check

Score: 9

Notes: The concept of using wind-powered vessels for transatlantic freight is plausible and aligns with current trends in sustainable shipping. VELA’s trimaran design and the partnership with DHL support the feasibility of the project. However, the reliance on company-provided information without independent verification introduces some uncertainty.