113-Year-Old Ship Sets Sail Again As A Modern, Zero-Emissions Craft

A ship that took its maiden voyage 113 years ago is ready to hit the seas once more, this time as a zero-emissions vessel.

The S/V Vega Gambley was originally built in Sweden in 1909 to mainly be used for industrial cargo. It remained in operation for 60 years until 1967, when it capsized in Stockholm harbor. It was then acquired by the Bergstöm family, who restored it to its original condition.

Later, in stepped Costa Rican startup shipping business Sailcargo, which purchased the Vega so that it didn’t have to have a new vessel constructed from scratch, citing a desire to be more environmentally friendly.

Vega is a 137-foot long boat that has a total of 14 regular and six auxiliary studding sails. It weighs a grand total of 140 tonnes and has a sail area of 7,000 square feet.

It also has classic oak panelings, a copper-sheathed hull, and it is able to hold up to 148 cubic meters of cargo.

The boat is being crafted to operate a new business that ships coffee beans between Santa Marta, Colombia, and New Jersey, according to Interesting Engineering.

The Vega schooner is accelerating the company’s embarkment on to its shipping program to this year while another eco-friendly cruiser, the Ceiba, is being completed.

Eventually, the Vega would be a novel sight out on the open seas as this vintage vessel transports green coffee beans to cafés throughout the Americas. 

[via Interesting Engineering and TechTimes, cover image via Sailcargo]