The sailing cargo ship SV Kwai has been owned by the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) since January 2021, as one element of the island archipelago’s goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This multi-faceted RMI effort is being supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (the German international development agency known as GIZ) as well as the German Ministry of the Environment. The Marshall Islands Shipping Corporation chartered SV Kwai for four months between September and December 2020 to test its capacity and seaworthiness in island waters.

The SV Kwai is 43 meters (140 ft), with a beam of 7 meters (23 ft), draws 3 meters (10 ft), has a tonnage of 179 RT and is ketch rigged. While equipped with a main engine and generator, the goal is to operate under sail 90% of the time.

Here is a short video about SV Kwai and the RMI 2050 Climate Strategy.

SV Kwai: GIZ Low Carbon Sea Transport Project in the Marshall Islands