

The largest sailing cargo ship in the world has successfully made its maiden transatlantic voyage, after a two-week journey that started in Nantes, France, and ended at the Port of Baltimore.
Designed by French maritime company Neoline, the 446-foot-long Neoliner Origin is capable of carrying 5,200 tons of goods — including large-scale roll-on/roll-off vehicle cargo — and cuts carbon emissions by 80% compared to similarly-sized vessels that run on traditional fuels. The ship is primarily powered by wind, with two 216-foot carbon fiber masts and nearly 32,300 square feet of sails. It also has secondary diesel-electric engines that allow it to run in hybrid mode if its sails are damaged.
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Chesapeake Bay Magazine reports that the ship left Nantes on October 16 and arrived in Baltimore, Maryland, on October 30, although it was briefly delayed along the way when a panel of its aft main sail was damaged just two days into its journey.
According to Neoline, the ship can accommodate a wide range of cargo, including passenger vehicles, semi-trucks, farm equipment, construction vehicles, locomotives, aircraft parts, and all types of containers. For its first trip across the Atlantic, Neoliner Origin carried more than 11,000 bottles of Telmont champagne from French luxury brand Rémy Cointreau. French multinational conglomerate LVMH has also committed to shipping 4 million bottles of Hennessy cognac on board the sailing vessel annually.
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