Author - windship

Windship Technology has been awarded £4m as part of a consortium in the latest round of the UK’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC). The project is a demonstration of a symbiotic wind propulsion and carbon capture system, aimed at making a zero-emissions shipping industry a reality.

This project will install a Windship Technology 36m tri-foiled rig on a 15,000DWT bulker alongside carbon capture technology being demonstrated by Leilac.

Graham Harvey, CEO of Windship Technology, said, “We are absolutely delighted with this funding for Windship Technology. Given the significant financial support announced today, the Department for Transport and Innovate UK believe Windship Technology can be a key driver in the clean shipping revolution, and we are proud to be playing our part in the decarbonisation of the shipping industry.”

Simon Rogers, Windship Technology Technical Director, commented, “The Windship Technology project has progressed significantly since we announced our DNV Approval in Principal. The next stage, thanks to this funding, will enable us to build a full-scale demonstration of our fully patented triple rig wing design working in conjunction with our partners carbon capture technology.”

The Windship Technology project is part of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition Round 3 (CMDC3), which was announced in September 2022, funded by the Department of Transport and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK. As part of the CMDC3, the Department allocated £60m to 19 flagship projects supported by 92 UK organisations to deliver real world demonstration R&D projects in clean maritime solutions. Projects will take place in multiple locations around the UK from as far north as the Shetland Isles and as far south as Cornwall.

Transport Secretary, Rt Hon Mark Harper MP, said:
“Our maritime sector imports 95% of goods into the UK and contributes £116 billion to our economy – more than both aviation and rail combined. 
With growing the economy one of the government’s top priorities, we must continue our efforts to ensure the UK remains a pioneer in cutting-edge clean maritime solutions.  
The funding we’re awarding today will help to do just that, bringing emission-free concepts to life and fuelling innovation.”

Innovate UK Executive Director for Net Zero, Mike Biddle, said:
"These 19 real world demonstration projects showcase the very best of UK clean maritime innovation and engineering, bringing a range of exciting technologies one step closer to commercial reality.
Accelerating clean maritime innovation is an important part of Innovate UK’s wider strategy and support to achieve Net Zero and unlock economic opportunities in the UK and globally."

CEO of the UK Chamber of Shipping, Sarah Treseder, said:
“Congratulations to all the successful bids, which cover a wide range of technologies and aspects of shipping.
The UK Chamber of Shipping is committed to net zero by 2050. This funding is an important milestone in ensuring we continue to work together to achieve this important target and will help us complete the journey from theory to reality for zero emission shipping.”

The CMDC3 is part of the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emission’s (UK SHORE) flagship multi-year CMDC programme. In March 2022, the Department announced the biggest government investment ever in our UK commercial maritime sector, allocating £206m to UK SHORE, a new division within the Department for Transport focused on decarbonising the maritime sector. UK SHORE is delivering a suite of interventions throughout 2022-2025 aimed at accelerating the design, manufacture and operation of UK-made clean maritime technologies and unlocking an industry-led transition to Net Zero.

Contact Windship Technology on info@windshiptechnology.com.

UK-based Cape Horn Engineering has reported a two-digit percentage improvement in the aerodynamic performance of a vessel’s solid wing assembly via the use of Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) programme. The use of Wind Propulsion Technology (WPT) such as rigid wings, sails, kites, Magnus rotors on some vessels like bulk carriers and tankers have the potential of fuel savings and emission reductions around 10-30%.

Cape Horn Engineering said it is supporting one of its clients, Windship Technology, on a solid wing power concept that is being developed by a consortium of key players in the global shipping industry.

“We are extremely proud to be part of the team led by Windship Technology for this exciting project, running a CFD programme to further improve the design of the solid wings,” said Rodrigo Azcueta, managing director of Cape Horn Engineering.

“One of the key focuses of our project is to provide a clearer, unbiased and more detailed analysis of the new technologies available. The analytical evidence provided will give businesses a clearer understanding of the potential savings that can be realised with the implementation of the green propulsion systems. Without significant mitigating action it is projected that the global shipping industry could account for almost a fifth of carbon emissions by 2050,” Azcueta said.

Read the full Seatrade Maritime News article: here.

 

Further Windship Technology testing confirms at least 30% annual fuel and emissions saving for commercial shipping.

Key industry experts, prospective clients in the shipping, commodities and petrochemical sectors together with UK government officials attended the Mitchell – Wolfson Unit Wind Tunnel at the University of Southampton to view the testing of the most recent Windship Technology model in February 2020. The wind tunnel test findings further validated the results of the latest Windship Technology CFD testing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWH8FrVltAA

The patented UK designed Windship rig system is consistently regarded as the most powerful fuel and emission saving wind system in the market, which will materially help the shipping industry closer towards achieving its 50% reduction in emissions by 2050, as required by the IMO. That organisation has recently acknowledged wind propulsion as one of the solutions for the shipping industry to meet decarbonisation targets, as outlined in the MEPC_C75_Inf26.

The solution, known as the Windship Auxiliary Sail Propulsion System (WASPS), uses fixed wing sail technology, whereby three 35-metre high masts installed on the deck of a vessel will each have three aerodynamic wings fitted (pictured) to exploit the power of the wind. The system allows reductions in engine power to be made in order to achieve the same speed and so maximise fuel-saving and emissions reduction.

Without significant mitigating action it is projected that the global shipping industry could account for almost a fifth of carbon emissions by 2050. Windship’s solution will be able to save a minimum of 30% of the CO2 emissions annually.

The Windship system combined with reduced engine revolutions and other ship optimisation could save up to 80% of fuel and emissions. This aspirational approach will bring closer the possibility of a Carbon Neutral ship well in advance of 2050.

Simon Rogers, Technical Director said, “We are delighted with the results of the wind tunnel testing and they further illustrate how we will help the shipping industry to make a significant reduction in CO2 emissions. We are in discussions with potential development partners to build and install the prototype system.”

 

As featured in TradeWinds in July 2019, Tanker shipping veteran and long-term proponent of wind propulsion, Lars Carlsson, is proposing a campaign to shift shipowners toward net-zero emission status as the industry begins to get to grips with the IMO target for a 50% cut by 2050.

Carlsson, current director of Windship Technology, a former Managing Director of Concordia Maritime and Chairman of INTERTANKO, wants the industry to set up a World Shipping Board within the IMO to lead a push towards net-zero emissions.

The board, comprising up to 10 people, could "guide us through the coming years' transition, with strong recommendations and executive power, by forcing authorities to legislate for immediate reduction of harmful emissions," he argues in a letter to Trade Winds.
Carlsson, who is now a director at Windship Technology, suggests giving the board 100 votes at the IMO so it can propel legislation through the United Nations organisation for net zero emissions by 2040. Windship is a company developing wind sail rigs for bulkers and tankers aimed at cutting fuel use by 45%.
'Inexcusable delay'
"Kitack Lim, the secretary general of IMO, has a lot of integrity if he could just escape from half of his 200 country delegates' votes in IMO," Carlsson writes.

"Net zero emissions in shipping can be achieved by a determined investment in carbon-neutral vessels. But any target of action as late as 2050 is an inexcusable delay, postponing necessary climate action to the next generation so that we in our generation can enjoy our life and our perks undisturbed by harsh realities," he argues.

Click here to read the full article (subscription required).

Photo credit: Tradewinds

A new study finds scrubbers will have serious consequences on marine life. Lars Carlsson, from Windship Technology, highlighted the study as he argued for carbon-neutral vessels as emissions regulations get even tighter in the future.

"Let us forbid scrubbers and instead invest in carbon-neutral vessels for net-zero emissions from shipping," he told Tradewinds. "Those who already have rushed to purchase scrubbers in the stampede for cheap fuel, hold your breath for a miracle delay in anti-scrubber legislation."
Read the full article (subscription required).