Sail Ship (Espresso)

A: While our goal is direct sail freight to Falmouth for maximum environmental impact, this initial 19-tonne shipment by sail from Brazil to France is a critical learning phase. So, while not perfect at this stage, we have been able to test the new system with a significant volume. Working closely with our partners BELCO, we're actively building upon and refining our operational logistics, paving the way for future shipments to sail directly to Cornwall.

A: Having crossed the Atlantic from Brazil, the sailing vessel docked at the port of Le Havre. At BELCO's warehouse, also in Le Havre, the coffee then underwent thorough in-house quality checks. From there, it was transported to our Cornwall roastery via a combination of ferry and road travel.

A: 2024 was our first year shipping coffee by sail and we’re proud to have transported 19 tonnes (1x container) in this way. In 2025, we will be shipping a minimum of 2x containers by sail.

A: Sail cargo can achieve between a 95%-84% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to average container carriers. This means, our Sail Ship coffee could reduce CO2 emissions by as much as 3.9 tonnes CO2e per container, when compared to average diesel-powered sea freight. This calculation applies to sea freight only and additional factors such as road logistics will contribute to overall emissions savings. Please see our sources page for further reading.

A: Wind-powered ships eliminate the sulphur dioxide emissions and greatly reduce the noise pollution associated with conventional diesel-powered sea cargo.

A: Several factors contribute to the higher cost of coffee shipped by sail compared to conventional cargo ships, including smaller cargo hold capacities and underdeveloped infrastructure. Given that the revival of sail ship transportation is still in its infancy, we would expect these costs to decrease as the demand for coffee shipped in this way, and the availability of vessels grow.