SAILCARGO Purchases New Ship
May 17, 2022
SAILCARGO INC. has purchased the Swedish cargo schooner S/V Vega Gamleby
Vega will begin sailing cargo between North and South America in 2022
SAILCARGO INC. has purchased the cargo vessel S/V Vega Gamleby. Vega will sail approximately 148 cubic metres (or 82 tons) of green coffee beans and other dry goods between Colombia and the United States. The Swedish ship will commence her delivery voyage across the Atlantic Ocean in mid-May, 2022. The first cargo will be coffee beans, transported for Canadian coffee importer Café William and will sail in the fourth quarter of 2022.
The purchase of Vega will expedite SAILCARGO INC.’s vision of clean shipping and allow the company to start generating revenue this year. This will pave the way for SAILCARGO’s first ship Ceiba (still under construction in Costa Rica and expected to launch in 2023), allowing the company to start shipping while Ceiba is finished.
“The clean shipping industry is growing faster than ever and we want to keep that momentum going while Ceiba is completed. We specifically bought Vega because she is built to the highest possible standard and has a stellar international reputation. She’s a beautiful ship.” Danielle Doggett, CEO and founder of SAILCARGO INC.
Vega is a three-masted, square top sail wooden cargo schooner originally built in Sweden in 1909. Vega successfully served as an industrial cargo ship for nearly 60 years. The new Vega retains just 15% of the original vessel - preserving the rich history, inside a ship built to exacting modern standards. Vega was restored by the Swedish ship-building family the Bergstroms and was relaunched in 2006, after which she won the sail training Tall Ships Races several times. The family now want to see the ship return to her original purpose, as a cargo ship.
“In the future I would love to see what Vega could bring for the society as a whole and as an example of sailing with cargo, it’s a new chapter. This makes me very proud to be part of the revolution of SAILCARGO.” Odd Bergström, former owner and builder of the S/V Vega Gamleby.
Once she arrives in the Caribbean, Vega will be refit to maximise the cargo holds - before beginning her new life sailing products from Santa Marta, Colombia to New Jersey, United States. Café William has booked all northbound cargo voyages to ship their coffee beans.
Members of Vega’s original Swedish crew and SAILCARGO INC. crew are currently working together to prepare her for the Atlantic crossing. During the delivery voyage the Swedish crew will pass on Vega’s history and help train a new generation of Costa Rican sailors. Vega’s stellar international reputation will help expedite SAILCARGO INC.’s impact on the clean shipping industry and will energise investment in sustainable projects.
SAILCARGO INC. has become internationally known for its construction of Ceiba, a wooden cargo schooner based in Costa Rica. Ceiba has been funded by private impact investors from around the world who have taken action to prove the value of clean shipping. The company has recently been restructured to offer a diverse portfolio of clean shipping and community development projects. The acquisition of Vega means that investors in SAILCARGO INC. will see returns from the combined revenues of all subsidiaries.
The Bergström Family
The Bergström family is renowned for their restoration of wooden sailing ships in Gamleby, Sweden. After founding the non-profit “Människan och havet” (Man and the Sea) Egil Bergström led the acquisition of Vega, his second restoration project, which became a popular ship in the Sail Training International Tall Ships Races for young adults. This maritime family still operates a shipyard in Gamleby and continues to live in the area.
Café William
Café William is a Quebec roaster focused on the production of organic and fair trade coffees. Its world coffees are distinguished by their exceptional quality and the desire to make them accessible to the greatest number of consumers by offering a price comparable to conventional coffees. The Quebec company is one of the most important importers of Fairtrade coffee in Canada, a certification it has held since its foundation. Its factory, located in Sherbrooke for over 30 years, maintains the highest food safety standards in the industry, namely SQF (Safe Quality Food) certification. cafewilliamspartivento.com
SAILCARGO INC.
SAILCARGO INC. is a unique and progressive logistics company that uses environmentally sustainable shipping practices. Located in Costa Rica, SAILCARGO INC. combines tradition and modernity through the construction and operation of wooden sailing vessels that meet high environmental standards while being sustainable, safe and efficient. www.sailcargo.inc
Contacts:
Jeremy Starn
SAILCARGO INC. Communications
media@sailcargo.inc
