When:
17th Feb 2026 - 18th Feb 2026
Bookings:
Where:
Convene 133 Houndsditch, London EC3A 7DB, United Kingdom
In Association with:
The conference is now sold out - if you'd like to be added to the waitlist, please reach out to the RINA Events Team at events@rina.org.uk
As the maritime industry accelerates its drive towards a sustainable future, the need for innovative alternative power and propulsion technologies is becoming increasingly urgent. Among these, wind-assisted propulsion is rapidly emerging as a practical, scalable solution. Drawing on one of the oldest principles in shipping, modern wind technologies are now taking centre stage in efforts to reduce emissions.
Since its inaugural edition in 2019, the Wind Propulsion Conference has established itself as a leading platform for industry stakeholders — from shipowners and classification societies to technology developers, researchers, and policy-makers — to connect and collaborate. The sector is gaining momentum, with 54 large vessels equipped with wind propulsion systems by the second half of 2024, another seven vessels built wind-ready, and over 80 new wind-powered ships expected by 2025/26. The global fleet is on track to surpass 100 installations by the end of 2025.
The Wind Propulsion 2026 Conference will provide critical updates on technology, design, policy, and performance. Attendees will gain valuable insights, engage with leaders across the field, and help shape the future of sustainable shipping.
Registration Fees:
- RINA/IWSA Member: £400
- Non Member: £600
- Student*: Free
- Author: £100
- Additional Author: £300
- Concession (Recent Graduate and Retired): £150
(All prices are ex-VAT)
* Please note: Students registering for this event must provide a valid RINA Membership Number. If you are not yet a student member, please find details on how to join RINA here.
Meet our keynote speaker: David Osborn, Director, Marine Environment Division, International Maritime Organisation
David Osborn, an Australian national, joined the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in September 2025. The IMO is the United Nations specialized agency responsible for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships.
Mr. Osborn brings extensive experience in environmental management within the UN system and at national government level. From 2013 to 2020, he served as Director of the Marine Environment Laboratories at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), before taking up the role of Deputy Director in the Ecosystems Division of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi from 2020 to 2021.
At the national Australian level, Mr. Osborn has held several senior leadership positions with the Australian Government. These include serving as General Manager, Safety and Technical, with the Australian Radioactive Waste Agency (2021–2023), and earlier in in his career with the Department of Environment and Water Resources and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. He served as a commissioned officer with the Royal Australian Navy from 1991 to 1995 where he contributed to the preparation of the Navy’s inaugural environment policy.
Mr. Osborn holds a degree in Environmental Science from the University of Canberra and a Master’s degree in Environmental Law from the Australian National University. Throughout his career, he has contributed to both domestic and international programmes and initiatives addressing marine pollution, coastal management, climate change, and biodiversity conservation.
A lifelong advocate for environmental sustainability, Mr. Osborn is driven by a mission to protect ecosystems and promote innovative solutions to complex environmental challenges.
Gold Sponsor:
Silver Sponsors:
bronze sponsor:
Audience:
The Wind Propulsion Conference attracts over 150 professionals at the forefront of sustainable maritime innovation, including naval architects, engineers, shipowners, class societies, technology developers, researchers, and regulators.
Past contributors have included DNV, Lloyd’s Register, ABS, Bureau Veritas Solutions M&O, MOL, Hapag-Lloyd AG, Norsepower, bound4blue, Anemoi Marine Technologies, OceanWings, BAR Technologies, MARIN, SINTEF Ocean, RISE, Delft University of Technology, Wärtsilä, Dassault Systèmes, TotalEnergies, as well as policy organisations such as the IMO and BIMCO.
This is the premier opportunity to engage with the organisations and individuals driving the next generation of wind propulsion solutions.
PROGRAM
Tuesday 17th February 2026
| Tuesday 17th February 2026 | ||
| 08:30-09:20 | Coffee and Registration | |
| Session 1 | Plenary | |
| 09:25 - 09:40 | Welcome Address, Paul Jobson, CEO, The Royal Institution of Naval Architects and Gavin Allwright, Secretary General, International Windship Association | |
| 09:40 - 09:50 | Welcome Address, Gold Sponsor - DNV - Aakash Dua, Regional Business Development Director | |
| 09:50 - 09:55 | Silver Sponsor - Vaisala - Floriane Grussenmeyer, Sales Manager | |
| 09:55 - 10:10 | Keynote: David Osborn, Director, Marine Environment Division, International Maritime Organization | |
| 10:10 - 10:40 |
Policy and Regulation Roundtable
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| 10:40 - 11:00 | Shorter Pitch Sessions:
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| 11:00 - 11:30 | Coffee | |
| Session 2 | Stream 1: Standards & Verification | Stream 2: Market Development |
| 11:30 - 11:50 |
Performance verification methodologies for vessels with Wind Assisted Propulsion Luke McEwen, Anemoi Marine Technologies |
Benefit of WPT when it comes to choice of fuels under IMO-EU Regulatory Frameworks |
| Deniz Aymer, UMAS | ||
| 11:50 - 12:10 | Sea Trial Methodologies for Wind Propulsion: A Study of Uncertainty | A Global Fleet of Wind-Powered Ships: Quantifying Emissions Abatement |
| Sofia Werner, RISE - SSPA | Dr Nico van der Kolk, AlbatrosDigital | |
| Dr James Mason, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, United Kingdom | ||
| 12:10 - 12:30 |
Smart IMO GFI compliance Strategies for all Low and Zero carbon fuel options by implementing Wind Propulsion Technologies Konstantinos Fakiolas, FINOCEAN |
Unlocking the Full Potential of Wind Propulsion: A Techno-Economic Optimisation Framework |
| Martina Reche Vilanova, North Windships | ||
| 12:30 - 13:00 | Q&A Panel | Q&A Panel |
| 13:00 - 14:00 | Lunch | |
| Session 3 | Stream 1: Manoeuvring Standards & Anti Drift Devices | Stream 2: Ship Fatigue & Power Saving |
| 14:00 - 14:20 | New manoeuvring standards incorporating wind propulsion | Prediction of strength and power saving of a wind assisted propulsion system |
| Anton Kisjes, MARIN | Dr. Gaute Storhaug, DNV | |
| 14:20 - 14:40 | Maximizing Wind-Assisted Propulsion Efficiency Through Active Drift Compensation. Alessandro Castagna, Becker Marine Systems |
Sensitivity Analysis of the Wind Load Effect on WAPS Foundation Fatigue |
| 14:40 - 15:00 | Appendage Selection for Primary Wind-Powered Ships: A Fine Balance Of BANG VS. BUCK | Vessel Response In Transient Wind Conditions For A Zero Emission Cruise Ship With Wing Sails |
| Frederik Gerhardt, RISE, Research Institutes of Sweden | Øyvind Rabliås, SINTEF Ocean | |
| 15:00 - 15:30 | Q&A Panel | Q&A Panel |
| 15:30 - 16:00 | Coffee | |
| 16:00 - 16:45 |
Legal and Contract Roundtable
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| 16:45 - 17:00 | Closing Remarks | |
| 17:00 - 19:00 | Drinks Reception | |
Wednesday 18th February 2026
| Wednesday 18th February 2026 | |||
| 08:30 - 09:30 | Coffee and Registration | ||
| Session 1 | Plenary | ||
| 09:30 - 09:40 | Welcome Address, The Royal Institution of Naval Architects | ||
| 09:40 - 09:55 | Setting the Scene, Gavin Allwright, Secretary General, International Windship Association | ||
| 09:55 - 10:00 | Silver Sponsor – Lloyd’s Register: Santiago Suarez de la Fuente - ship performance manager | ||
| 10:00 - 10:40 |
Shipowners Installations and Experience Roundtable
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| 10:40 - 11:00 | Shorter Pitch Session: | ||
1. Savings Assessment on the Ro-Ro Ville de Bordeaux with eSAILs by Numerical Modelling supported with Operational Data
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2. The First Multiple Hard Sail of the WAPS Application on LNG Carriers
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3. Wind propulsion reality goes beyond performance: a testimony of a shipowner operating and building wind powered vessels
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4. Wind propulsion Free-running tests for a wind-assisted ship model
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| 11:00 - 11:30 | Coffee | ||
| Session 2 | Stream 1: Performance Tools & Methods | Stream 2: Systems Interaction | |
| 11:30-11:50 | Neoliner Origin from Design to Practice: Multidisciplinary Feedback on a Wind-Powered RoRo Vessel
Chloé Duport, Chantiers de L'Atlantique |
Aerodynamic interactions and thrust production of two Flettner rotors in wind-tunnel Frederic Deybach, TotalEnergies |
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| 11:50 - 12:10 | From single to multiple: Experimental insights into eSAIL® performance and aerodynamic interference | WASP aerodynamic interactions with deck structures: Using model scale wind tunnel testing to model these complex interactions | |
| Alberto Llopis Pascual, bound4blue | Magnus Gregory, Wolfson Unit | ||
| 12:10 - 12:30 | Impact analysis of different wind statistics methodologies on fuel saving |
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| Norbert Bulten, Wartsila | |||
| 12:30 - 13:00 | Q&A Panel | Q&A Panel | |
| 13:00 - 14:00 | Lunch | ||
| Session 3 | Stream 1: Performance Evaluation | Stream 2: Training | |
| 14:00 - 14:20 |
Performance assessment of Wind-Assisted Propulsion Systems (WAPS): an integrated Clément Gouriou, CWS Morel |
Supporting crews in the transition to wind-assisted shipping: Human-Centred Design and bridge simulations Niklas van Duinen, MARIN |
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| 14:20 - 14:40 | Data-driven control of wind propulsion systems Ville Paakkari, Norsepower |
A systematic approach to WAP control interface design and its integration with maritime operations | |
| Etienne Gernez, ARKITEKTUR- OG DESIGNHØGSKOLEN I OSLO | |||
| 14:40 - 15:00 | Fibre Optic Strain Gauges for Thrust Measurement: A Method of Performance Validation for Wind Assisted Ship Propulsion | Fully Coupled Simulation of a WASP in Wind and Waves Enabled by Generative AI for the Ocean Environment | |
| Will Hopes, BAR Technologies | Kevin Maki, University of Michigan | ||
| 15:00 - 15:30 | Q&A Panel | Q&A Panel | |
| 15:30 - 16:00 | Coffee | ||
| 16:00 - 16:45 |
Safety, Hazards and Assessments Roundtable
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| 16:45 - 17:00 | Closing Remarks and Closure | ||
Exhibitors:
Name Badge Sponsor:
Topics:
Market level assessment
Concept level assessment
Technology level assessment
Registration:
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