Ancient schooner to deliver French wine to Ireland

More than 12,000 bottles of wine from award-winning vineyards in the South of France will arrive in Dublin Port in Ireland on July 25 aboard the 108-year-old schooner Kathleen & May.

The arrival of the vessel, built in 1900 at Ferguson and Baird's yard at Connah's Quay near Chester in the United Kingdom, will mark the first European shipment by French company CTMV-Fair Wind Wine Ltd. The bottles of wine will be transported from the Summer Maritime Festival in Brest.

Following refurbishment, the Kathleen & May is equipped with a 400-horsepower ex-lifeboat engine with twin hydraulically driven props for maneuverability and carries enough fuel to do 2,000 nautical miles under engine power alone.

Another historic vessel, the three-mast barque Belem, the last French merchant sailing vessel built, first launched in 1896, has arrived in Canada from Bordeaux to introduce the Fair Wind Wine during Quebec's 400th anniversary celebrations.

It is estimated that the whole process will save 4.9 ounces of carbon per bottle compared to air travel. Each bottle will carry the label: Carried by sailing ship, a better deal for the planet. 

Our company has found a modern innovative solution to reduce CO2 emissions, by looking to the past traditional shipping routes and by chartering traditional ships, said Frederic Albert, president of CTMV-Fair Wind Wine. With oil prices at an all-time high, our company will be able to ship goods at low rate by using sailing ships. The fine premium wines will be traveling by sea like in the old days. We have chosen the best premiums wines in the region, but they have also been made in a sustainable agriculture way.

In August, the company plans to open a route from Bordeaux to Bristol in the United Kingdom, Copenhagen in Denmark and Sweden. 

Source: American Shipper