Dutch sailing cargo vessel start-up EcoClipper is launching a share offering to help pay for its first vessel that will offer bigger investors free journeys on its ships.
EcoClipper is looking to raise €225,000 from the sale of certificates priced at €7.50 each in this first tranche of share sales that will last until the first ship comes into service. The price will rise to €8 per share in further subscriptions.
The 40-metre-long De Tukker (built 2012) is expected to come into service at the end of March and will be able to carry a maximum of 70 tonnes of cargo and 12 passengers between ports including Amsterdam, London, and Antwerp.
Anyone investing €25,000 or more will receive an invitation to join the EcoClipper's first or later ships, free of charge, on a 1,250 nautical mile journey, the company said.
The capital raised will be used for the final investments to launch the De Tukker with further resources used to accelerate the repayment of the ship's mortgage and finance the initial costs of a subsequent project, EcoClipper said.
“Talks are underway with various charterers to convert existing motor vessels into sailing freighters, and EcoClipper is also focusing on setting up a transatlantic liner service with newbuild ships,” the company said.
Investors buying a minimum €1,000 of shares will receive an invitation to all future ship launches, and those investing €10,000 will also have the opportunity to join its ships on sea trials. The sale starts on 17 February.
Captain Jorne Langelaan, founder and director of EcoClipper said: “With this campaign we give the public the opportunity to join our community in which everyone gets a fair share and share in the success.
“Our vision is to connect the continents with sailing ships through natural transport, for cargo and passengers,” he added.
The company that was set up in 2018 has plans to build a prototype three square-rigged mast EcoClipper500 that can carry 500 tonnes of cargo across global deepsea routes.
It will be a steel replica of the clipper Noach originally built in 1857 which has been called the fastest Dutch sailing vessel ever.
