This shipping solution will combine DHL Global Forwarding France's expertise in transport organization, pre-carriage, on-carriage, customs, warehousing, and associated logistics services, with the unique sailing maritime solution developed by VELA.
The service for palletized LCL (Less-than-Container Load) shipments is primarily designed for customers seeking lower-emission shipping options with no compromise on speed, reliability, traceability or security - tailored to the pharmaceutical, high value & luxury goods, cosmetics, aerospace, and wine & spirits industries between Europe and the United States in both directions.
An innovative freight line
The wind propulsion cargo will carry 600 EU pallets per transatlantic trip operating as a direct route between strategic secondary ports — Caen-Ouistreham and New Haven— to combine speed, reliability, safety, and a significantly reduced greenhouse gas emission profile based on Carbone 4 LCA study. By reducing exposure to congestion at major hubs, limiting transshipments, and strengthening operational control, it aims to be among the leading lower-emission transatlantic service options currently available, based on indicative comparisons. VELA aims for a target port-to-port transit time of 15 days.
The patent-pending CoolSafe™ by VELA, is a GDP compliant refrigeration system, powered primarily by onboard renewable energy sources to preserve the integrity of highly sensitive products throughout their journey.
According to the independent analysis conducted by Carbone 4, the VELA solution indicates a lower lifecycle greenhouse gas impact compared to other transport modes on comparable routes, with reductions of up to 99% under specific assumptions.
A dedicated step toward lower-emission shipping
DHL Global Forwarding France will have a dedicated allocation on VELA's vessel with volume commitments that are expected to grow in line with the fleet's expansion. Commercial operations are scheduled to begin in early 2027, with ultimately five ships and up to one weekly departure on the transatlantic route.
"As a leading player in the global logistics industry, DHL is committed to supporting the decarbonization of transport and expanding the range of solutions available to its customers. This partnership with VELA represents a concrete step in that direction, allowing us to integrate a dedicated, locally anchored wind-powered shipping option into our customer offering. Developed with a partner that shares our focus on service quality, this initiative reflects our approach of combining logistics expertise with practical, lower-emission solutions,” said Laurent Terreyre, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding France.
“By partnering with DHL Global Forwarding France, we are making wind-powered freight for transatlantic shipping available to a broader range of customers. This collaboration aims to provide a lower-emission alternative that is designed to integrate into existing supply chains with standard logistics processes, while maintaining consistent service standards,” said Michaël Fernandez-Ferri, Managing Director of VELA.
While under sail at sea, Vela operates propulsion with zero emissions. In port, the vessel complies with all local maritime regulations, requiring engine power using primarily electricity (from battery, solar and hydrogeneration) and marine diesel as a backup.
