Commissioned by the Micronesian Center for Sustainable Transport, a programme of the University of the South Pacific based in the Fiji Islands, and financed by the CNC shipping company, this project aims to develop a line of simple, robust and sober sailing cargo vessels to transport materials and essential commodities between the islands of the South Pacific.
Nicknamed the “Toyota Hilux of the Seas” after the versatile Japanese pick-up truck of the same name, the Cerulean will be a vital link in the islands’ supply chain, importing food and building materials. She will also ensure the exportation of raw materials from the islands, some of which have a population of barely a few dozen inhabitants and lie outside conventional shipping routes.
The Cerulean is a real cargo vessel with a deadweight tonnage of 200 tonnes and the capacity to load and unload without external assistance thanks to her hydraulic deck crane. Particular attention has been paid to the rigging to ensure that her extensive sail plan can be operated by a skeleton crew, while sturdy, low-tech fittings facilitate maintenance.
