HOW THE BUSINESS STARTED
Today, we have Danielle of Sail Cargo. She started out as a tall ship sailor, then later came up with an idea to build a full wood cargo-only sailing vessel. This was an inspiration from another vessel she experienced in which she loved their concept and mission. She went ahead and started the project. The vessel is one of its kind, coming in at 150 ft. Danielle’s vision is to nurture traditional woodwork skills in the timber industry, while at the same time conserving the forest.
CHALLENGES OF RUNNING THE PROJECT
The project has been pretty smooth sailing for Danielle and her team. Her only issue is getting people to understand the concept of the project, since it’s a people funded project.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BUSINESS
One of Danielle’s exciting moments was when she got large amounts of a Del Monte hardwood. This was perfect for building the core part of the ship, but most importantly, it was a great way to help Hurricane Otto victims by purchasing the wood from that area. She also has people who ask her to clear trees in large pieces of land for them, and in turn keep the wood she gets from them, which she appreciates.
IMPORTANCE OF THE BUSINESS
Danielle, who is passionate about keeping traditional skills alive in the timber industry, also wants to create awareness of the damage the shipping industry is doing. In an effort to do this she shows the value of practicing sustainable forestry as well as offering emission-free shipping services, in which 10% of the profit goes to support ecological practices, namely deforestation.
LINKS MENTIONED
Website: sailcargo.org
Email:info@sailcargo.org
Instagram: @sailcargo