Sail for Ethics -S4E- has for objective to foster maritime transport worldwide using hybrid sailing cargoes/passengers ships reconstructed from used freighters and trawlers, promoting locally owned fleets in developing and emerging countries to increase sustainable South-North and South-South transport of goods -with a special focus on fair trade products- and passengers. The reconstruction process takes place at local level, benefiting local population with employment and professional skills training. Sail for Ethics also supports and participate to sustainable tourism activities.

Sail for Ethics has been launched in 2013 and it is currently implemented on a step-by-step basis. Each step is SWOT analyzed and production costs modeled on a prospective budget:
First step - 2013-2015
- acquire and renovate a used cargo ship/trawler to model technical aspects and budget (82' ship bought in 2013, currently under renovation)
- promote concept among institutions and private sector at international level and gather sponsors (under way)
- build up training professional team and document renovation technics (2014-15)
- investigate goods, passengers and tourism market models (2014-15)
Second step - 2016-2018
- set up first Sustainable Harbor -S4ESH- in a developing/emerging country (2016)
- carry on first professional training on ship renovation on S4ESH (2017-18)
Third step - 2019-2021
- establish network of S4ESH across several countries (2019)
- renovate various S4E ships in different S4ESH
- develop national and international transport market

Sail for Ethics relies on a two key axes:
- a permanent transfer of knowledge and technology from developed to developing/emerging countries at local scale
- strong capacity-building process supported by local ownership of the project
The S4E Ship Renovation Guide
S4E is currently collaborating with experts from highly skilled shipyards specialized on cargo/trawler and sailing ship construction and renovation (Netherlands, France, Poland) to write the S4E Ship Renovation Guide to be used to professionally train local workers on renovating used cargoes/trawler on hybrid sailing cargoes/passenger ships
The S4E Training Centers
Each S4E Sustainable Harbor -S4ESH- will hold a training center with the required technologic tools and experts to train local workers.
Local sessions of exchange knowledge will take place on a regular basis.
The S4E Knowledge Platform -S4EKP- will foster exchange of experience, best practices and knowledge among all local and national S4ESH groups, trainers and stakeholders.

Sail for Ethics -S4E- coordination mechanism relies on a network of local settled S4E Sustainable Harbors Centers -S4ESHC- that manage the reconstruction and maintenance of their own fleet. A S4E National Coordinator -S4ENC- represents all S4ESHC from each country at the S4E World Coordination Platform -S4EWCP-. The S4EWCP is managed by three S4E Coordinators -S4EC-, permanently working together, each of them being in charge of one of the following missions: Production, Finances, Communication. They are nominated by the S4ENC who own a percentage of votes corresponding to the number of S4ESH their country owns.
The S4ESHC coordinate activities -transport, training, promotion- at national level while the S4EWCP coordinates them at international level.