DHL is seeking to further cut carbon emissions across its freight ecosystem via a new partnership with Vela, a designer and operator of wind-propelled cargo ships.
With the collaboration, customers will be able to leverage DHL’s freight forwarding division’s freight booking, customs, warehousing and associated logistics services, and ship their cargo on Vela’s sailboats.
This solution is expected to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 99 percent compared to air freight and up to 90 percent compared to containerized ocean freight on a comparable route. Beyond the decarbonization benefits, the companies aim to reduce exposure to congestion at major hubs, limit transshipment and bolster operational control over the freight.
Vela’s vessels are large aluminum trimarans, which are sailboats with a three-hulled design intended to maximize promptness and efficiency under sail with an average speed of 14 knots. The vessels can carry about 415 metric tons of cargo and measure in roughly 220 feet in length. The cargo areas within the vessels will include temperature control, which the company says makes it well-suited for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, luxury goods, wines and spirits, aerospace, and high-value goods.
As part of the partnership, DHL Global Forwarding France will reserve a portion of the Vela vessels’ capacity, with volume commitments increasing as the fleet ramps up.
According to the press release, the wind-powered cargo ship will transport 600 European pallets per crossing, operating a direct link between strategic secondary ports such as Normandy’s Port of Caen-Ouistreham and Connecticut’s Port of New Haven. The firms are targeting a port-to-port transit time of 15 days.
Commercial service is scheduled to begin in early 2027, with the companies expecting to eventually reach five vessels and up to one departure per week on the trans-Atlantic route by 2030.
DHL’s cargo will be shipped via the less-than-container load (LCL) method, meaning it will move alongside goods from other companies that are booking spaces on Vela’s trimarans.
“We are taking a decisive step: making sail freight simpler, more accessible and fully operational on a large scale. Our shared ambition is clear: to offer shippers a low-emission trans-Atlantic solution, without compromising on service excellence,” said Michaël Fernandez-Ferri, managing director of Vela in a statement.
Laurent Terreyre, president of DHL Global Forwarding France, highlighted DHL’s continued commitment to decarbonization efforts, which have manifested across different parts of the supply chain as it aims to transition to net zero-emission logistics by 2050.
“This partnership with Vela allows us to take a further step by integrating a locally based, wind-powered maritime transport solution into our offering,” said Terreyre in a statement. “This innovation, developed with a partner who shares our requirements for performance, speed, and excellence, fully illustrates our ambition: to combine logistics expertise and positive impact, without compromise.”
Vela is just one part of DHL’s decarbonization push across its ocean carrier partnerships. Last December, the company partnered with CMA CGM to decarbonize container shipping, with the logistics companies committing to use 8,900 metric tons of a lower-carbon biofuel for ocean shipments.
With the partnership, DHL and CMA CGM expect to cut roughly 25,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for ocean freight shipped through DHL’s GoGreen Plus and CMA CGM’s ACT+ programs.
The company’s GoGreen Plus service enables businesses to pay a premium price to select sustainable fuel options for their shipments, which the company says can reduce up to 80 percent GHG emissions compared to conventional fuel.
The decarbonization efforts extend DHL’s air freight operation, which is responsible for 65 percent of its logistics-related GHG emissions.
DHL reports it used 185,000 metric tons of sustainable aviation fuel within its aircraft operations in 2025, representing a 10 percent share of total jet fuel consumption and a near tripling use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) compared to 2024.
By 2030, DHL aims for sustainable fuels to make up a 30 percent share of all air, ocean and road transport fuel.
The Vela partnership and the wider decarbonization initiative come as the delivery company pours more money into its operations in France.
Earlier this month, the logistics giant unveiled it was investing 160 million euros ($182.7 million) to strengthen infrastructure and support its clean energy transition in France.
Key initiatives as part of the investment include expansion of the company’s electric vehicle fleet and charging infrastructure, increased use of SAF, deployment of solar energy solutions across logistics sites, transition to low-carbon fuels such as biodiesel for heavier goods vehicles and continued electrification of warehouse equipment and energy-efficient building technologies.
