Wind-Powered Shipping: A New Route to Sustainable Ocean Freight | Michael Fernandez-Ferri, VELA

What if the future of ocean freight depended on a technology that once ruled the seas?

For Michael Fernandez-Ferri, Managing Director of VELA, the answer lies in bringing wind-powered shipping back, not as a step into the past, but as a new approach to modern maritime transport. In this conversation with Enrique Alvarez and Kristi Porter, Michael explains how VELA is rethinking transatlantic freight by combining the power of wind with modern vessel design, ocean-racing technology, and advanced weather forecasting.

The idea began with a simple question: could there be a better way to move goods across the Atlantic than relying entirely on air or conventional sea freight? VELA set out to develop a solution that could offer an alternative for shippers looking for reliable, efficient, and lower-emission transportation. Its wind-powered cargo vessel uses a trimaran design, drawing on innovations from competitive ocean racing, while sophisticated weather-routing systems help plan routes and forecast arrival times.

Michael shares how this approach is changing common assumptions about sailing transportation, particularly around speed, reliability, and commercial viability. He also explains why VELA’s smaller vessel can access secondary ports, avoid some of the congestion at major terminals, and offer a different approach to moving specialized cargo, including pharmaceuticals and temperature-sensitive products.

Michael also reflects on building a company from a blank sheet, bringing together expertise from different industries, staying close to customer needs, and knowing when to focus on proving a business model before pursuing new opportunities. Looking ahead, he shares what it will take to scale wind-powered shipping, from shipper commitment and investment to partnerships that could bring the model to other routes around the world.