Installing wind-assist propulsion (WAP) technology could help shipowners to reduce energy consumption and fuel costs – but getting the best out of WAP systems (WAPS) necessitates integrating them with the other onboard propulsive components, rather than installing and utilising these WAPS in relative isolation. As Henrik Alpo Sjöblom, VP for business concepts at Kongsberg Maritime, puts […]
Neoline’s dream is taking shape, writes Bruno Cianci. Following the January launch of Neoliner Origin, which took place at the RMK Marine facility in Tuzla, Istanbul, this 136m, sailing and diesel-electric ro-ro cargo vessel will enter service connecting the Atlantic coast of France with the port of Baltimore, making intermediate calls in St. Pierre & […]
Manufacturers of wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS) are reporting a surge of interest in their products in the wake of new greenhouse gas policies and the industry’s wider decarbonisation efforts. As well as supplying newbuilds, these manufacturers are noting an upswing in retrofit orders. One such WAPS manufacturer is BAR Technologies, whose CEO, John Cooper, says: […]
Wind-assisted propulsion systems manufacturer Norsepower has opened what it calls “the world’s first dedicated rotor sail factory” in the coastal district of Dafeng, China. The company initially plans to produce 50 Norsepower Rotor Sail (NPRS) units annually at this facility, scaling up to 100 per year by the end of 2027. The Dafeng site was […]
Econowind and Jumbo Maritime have collaborated on a recent installation The shipping industry is increasingly embracing wind-assisted ship propulsion technology, and most recently heavy lift shipping and offshore transport company Jumbo Maritime has joined the movement. Wind power technology supplier Econowind has installed two leased VentoFoil units on the heavy lift vessel Jumbo Jubilee in […]
By Mikko Nikkanen, head of maritime, weather and environment, Vaisala With annual international shipping CO₂ emissions doubling since 1990 and now accounting for roughly 10% of global transportation emissions, the maritime shipping sector sits at a crossroads in the fight against climate change. Players across the global shipping industry must find new ways to embrace […]
By Alberto Llopis Pascual, head of aerodynamics, bound4blue Since the decline of commercial sail-powered vessels, there has been remarkable progress in sail technology, driven by a renewed interest in sustainable maritime solutions. The modern sail has evolved far beyond the traditional cloth structures once used on clipper ships. Today’s sails benefit from advanced designs, innovative […]
Carefully curated agenda to take a focused look at recent technological, design and policy developments shaping the future landscape for wind-assisted propulsion Since its inauguration in 2019, the now annual Wind Propulsion Conference has become an essential event for the maritime community, with attending speakers and delegates spanning the technology companies, academia, shipowners and industry […]
New regulations, price challenges for existing and new fuels along with the growing pressure from cargo owners to reduce Scope 3 emissions are driving an increased deployment of wind propulsion technologies, writes Gavin Allwright In 1860, just before he became president, Abraham Lincoln gave a speech featuring one of my favourite quotes regarding wind power. […]
You know you’ve hit on an innovative vessel design when you’re not quite sure how to categorise it. For example, the Most Valuable Yacht (MVY) concept devised by UK start-up DRIFT Energy could be categorised as a hydrogen production and bunkering vessel or, alternatively, as a “green, self-filling tanker” or a “fishing boat for energy”, […]
Marflet Marine, a Spanish private shipping company, has announced a new step in its decarbonisation strategy by signing a contract with bound4blue to install four 22m-high eSAILs on its oil and chemical tanker Santiago I. Scheduled for mid-2025, the installation will make Marflet the first Spanish shipowner to integrate wind-assisted propulsion (WAP) in its merchant […]
In a new move toward sustainable maritime transportation, bound4blue, one of several companies working on wind-assisted propulsion systems, has achieved another landmark by installing the first-ever fixed suction sails on a Roll-on/Roll-off (ro-ro) vessel. The project took place aboard the Ville de Bordeaux, a vessel chartered by Airbus from French shipowner Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA). […]