Just finished schematics on a fun one. An 85′ sailing container cat for Carribean. Side loading this version. Carries 4 40′ containers. Also carries a few passengers. Between islands, skipping the major ports. 1500 hp per side. An aeroesque unstayed mast system.
O, again! It looks so good and well, but with all respect to its designer/inventor I am afraid it will not work. Catamarans need to be light weighted in order to sail properly, and need a sufficient amount of sail area in order to sail well. Even when assisted by engines.
If we look at the past we see that through all centuries cargo vessels are heavy displacement ships that are slow sailing. With a few exceptions though, but only when the cargo was light weighted in comparison to its volume, for example the “Cutty Sark”. Besides that, it is a hard to beat formula that loading advantage often wins from speed advantage.
Container freight by definition is not light weighted freight. And it is bulky by the shape of the containers, which is a handicap for a hull design principle like a multihull.
I do see an opportunity when the cargo is very light weighted and speed is an advantage over load capacity. This does limit the use of such catamaran as there is not so much of such cargo, but it is an opportunity.
I assumed 30,000 lbs per container. Its not a racer, but at or over 85′ long that weight is not insurmountable. Sail is simply assist. Engines are 1,500 per side and will give 25 knots in flat water. The big deal is the stability and the small draft of 3.5 feet to get into small ports.