It was a chance meeting that changed two lives. It may also change the way the world thinks about maritime shipping. An accomplished sailor, Danielle Doggett loves tall ships—the large wind-powered sailing vessels that carry passengers and cargo. Her fascination with the big ships started in her teens, sailing on the Cana- dian side of the Great Lakes and eventually on the St. Lawrence II, a 72-foot two-mast brigantine built in the 1950s for youth sail training. “I have been taken by great sailing ships ever since,” Doggett explains. “The idea of shipping cargo, emissions free, as a viable business really inspired me.” Doggett’s inspiration became a reality in 2010. While working aboard a wind-powered cargo ship in the Caribbean, she met Lynx Guimond, a world-renowned maritime wood carver who shared her passion for sailing and eco-friendly shipping. Within a few years they formed Sail- cargo to build wind-powered cargo ships and established a shipyard in Costa Rica. Fast forward to today when they are building Ceiba, a wind- powered cargo ship. Ceiba is the largest vessel built in Costa Rica and the largest wooden vessel currently under construction in the world. To build Ceiba, Sailcargo is using traditional arts and skills, locally sourced materials, and meeting zero-emission goals. The endeavor is a unique blend of centuries-old building techniques combined with modern business savvy and cutting-edge technologies–including high- precision surveying. The Shipyard With Doggett as director and Guimond as technical director, Sailcargo wrote a business plan, developed a budget and pursued potential back- ers. “We thought we could do things better, especially financially, than what we saw while sailing in the Caribbean,” Doggett said. “We be- lieved we could turn these ideas into a viable business.” She was right. In just over a year, they had a solid foundation with what would grow to be more than 150 investors from more than 20 nations. Costa Rica seemed like the optimal location for their business on many levels. “I had worked at shipyards in Canada and Northern Europe that were cold and industrial,” said Doggett. “Costa Rica’s climate enables you to work year-round in a productive environment. Not only are we closer to the wood used for building, but the area is a global hub for green businesses.” Sailcargo selected a location near Punta Morales and constructed Astillero Verde (The Green Shipyard), an eco-conscious and carbon-negative shipbuilding facility. Sustainable shipping gets new berth Centuries-old maritime craftwork and advanced technology help carbon-free seaborne trade. By Gavin Schrock, PLS
Sailcargo has formed deep roots in Costa Rica. The company devel- oped local supply chains, partnered on sustainable gardens, and built an educational pavilion where it offers classes on the environment and boatbuilding to local and international youth. Due to its location, cli- mate and Sailcargo’s reputation and business approaches, Astillo Verde has become a magnet for skilled artisans and technical professionals. The pavilion looks like something out of Peter Pan and the Lost Boys. It’s a rustic camp with residences, a dining facility, a large tree house, and a blacksmith shop for sharpening tools. The ship’s keel is aligned towards a channel leading to the sea. Inside the pavilion is a lofting floor that runs the length of the ship. Doggett says a lot of thought and planning went into designing the shipyard and the alignment of the launch route, but they hadn’t had a comprehensive map of the facilities, launch route or as-builts of the ship. Then came the surveyor. The Surveyor A sailing enthusiast, adventurer, and experienced surveyor, Damian Macrae discovered Sailcargo while browsing the Web. Macrae started his career in information technology, and studied surveying at the University of Tasmania. “Surveying was a great career option to get out of the office, but still with a strong focus on technology,” says Macrae, who resides in New Zealand. After graduation, he worked in mine surveying, where he got his first exposure to 3D laser scanning. Today Macrae is a survey consultant with Allterra New Zealand, a survey distributor and solutions provider in Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific. He had long wanted to visit Costa Rica and the call for experienced volunteers piqued his curiosity: Could the project use his skills? Doggett was excited to have Macrae visit and identified several areas where surveying and scanning could provide valuable data. Survey- ing the shipyard would put his skills and equipment—a Trimble SX10 scanning total station and R10 GNSS receiver—to the test. The Launch AstilleroVerde lies near the mouth of an estuary on the Pacific coast of
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csengineermag.com
may 2021
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