Interest in the cargo ferry http://harryproa.com/?p=2561 is high among island communities and their supporters looking to provide reliable low cost shipping options for remote communities.  There has also been a lot of interest from green shipping advocates.  Most of them are trying to raise the funds to build.  This process usually requires a mountain of paper work and a breakdown of the advantages and disadvantages and how they compare to the status quo.     

The cargo ferry is designed to use minimal, or zero fossil fuels.  It is not difficult to explain how this can be done.  However, people (usually the authors of funding applications) ask about the carbon footprint of a glass/epoxy/foam/carbon sailing harryproa vs a diesel powered steel freighter at one extreme and a plywood canoe with outboard at the other.  

So, I am looking for information to allow carbon footprint/environmental impact comparisons of the production and use of these materials.  

Any suggestions/web sites/people to talk to/etc that may be useful?

rob