Wind Powered Cargo Ship

The world's first partly wind-powered bulk carrier ship sailed to the Port of Newcastle on its maiden voyage this week.

The Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), which delivered the 100, 422 dwt (dead-weight tonnage) bulker on October 7, 2022, sailed to Newcastle on Monday, reported Offshore Energy.

"The world's first bulk carrier to be partially powered by wind, the Shofu Maru, sailed into #Newcastle this morning on its maiden voyage," the Port of Newcastle authorities wrote on Twitter.

"The vessel's unique hard sail will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 5 percent on its Japan-Australia journey."

It is the first coal carrier to be powered by the hard sail wind power propulsion technology – this part has been named 'Wind Challenger.'

The vessel is claimed to be the "first of its kind" and signals the return of wind power as a viable source of energy, ushering in a new era in modern transport.  READ MORE...

Building Its Own Cargo Ship

Furniture maker and retailer Loctek is in the process of building its own container ship.


The furniture company, known for its ergonomic designs, is paying Huanghai Shipbuilding $32.6 million to build a new container ship, TradeWinds first reported. 

Loctek revealed the purchase in a regulatory filing with the Shenzhen stock exchange. The ship will be able to carry 1,800 20-foot containers and is expected to be delivered by March 31, 2023.


Loctek said that it made the purchase "in order to enhance the company's competitiveness and accelerate the company's overseas business development," according to the filling. 

The company said its online sales have surged, but shipping delays have made it more difficult to deliver its goods efficiently. By owning its own vessel, the company hopes to avoid high freight rates and improve its delivery windows.


The company did not specify whether it would operate the ship or pay a major shipping company to run the ship and transport Loctek products.  READ MORE...

Inside a Cargo Ship

A merchant marine gave a tour of a 958-foot cargo ship in 2019 that showed the intricacies of hulking freighters that haul 90% of the world's goods.

In the video, second mate Bryan Boyle records the vast array of machinery that keeps the ship moving, as well as the crew's and officers' living quarters on the Maersk ship, which was built in 2006.

Though the video was taken in 2019, Boyle told Insider it provides insight into the lives of shipping crew today as hundreds of cargo ships wait to dock in US ports.

In the ship's voyage, it sets out from Norfolk, Virginia, making several stops in the US before heading toward Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands, to name a few destinations.

"I've had the opportunity to work on some interesting vessels," Boyle told Insider. "I've gotten to go to places that the average person wouldn't even know about. It's one of the most appealing aspects of the job."

Boyle said that there's a thrill to arrive at new destinations, remembering how he spent over a month in Africa on one trip. But the amount of time that crews get to explore new destinations has dwindled over the years, he said, as ships rush to get in and out of ports as fast as possible and early COVID-19 restrictions set limits to crew excursions.

The video shows Boyle's living quarters, as well as a movie locker that holds hundreds of titles. READ MORE...