he brief
OutSail "Economically moving maritime freight, using wind power"
Founders
Y Combinator (W23) Just Launched
David J. Phillips @davj / 3:00 PM PST • January 27, 2023
OutSail Shipping, a company founded by a team of experienced hardware engineers, aims to revolutionize the maritime freight industry through the use of wind power. With a track record of designing and building satellites, rockets, electric vehicles, and even an electric aircraft, the team at OutSail has the expertise to make wind-powered shipping a reality.
Maritime shipping is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and pollution-related deaths (60,000), with 300 million tons of fossil fuels burned annually, accounting for 3% of global emissions. Additionally, fuel costs make up a significant portion of operating expenses (up tp 50%) for cargo ships, and fuel prices are only expected to rise in the coming decades. With shipping demand projected to double by 2050, traditional steamship lines have yet to present viable plans for decarbonization.
OutSail has a solution, drawing inspiration from the long history of wind-powered shipping. With modern advancements in forecasting and fluid dynamics, wind energy is now the most economically viable option for maritime freight. OutSail will design, build, and operate a new class of purely wind-powered container ships, decarbonizing the industry while reducing costs.
Their first project is a container liner that will operate between the US West Coast and Hawaii, positioning themselves to compete with the $200 million existing market for ocean-going barges while delivering lower prices and faster transit times (2x) in this segment.
You can support their mission by introducing them to decision-makers at global freight forwarders, manufacturers, and distributors, or anyone who ships to Hawaii in volume.
