BAR Technologies and Yara Marine Technologies have reached an agreement to design and supply wind-assisted propulsion for the global shipping industry. The solid wing sails called WindWings are said to offer up to thirty per cent in fuel efficiency savings.
BAR Technologies is a simulation-driven marine engineering consultancy, whereas Yara Marine develops and implements emission-reduction technologies in the maritime sector. The latter will offer WindWings in its portfolio to shipowners globally and manage the value chain of procurement, construction, installation, service and training. This will include WindWings for the first commercial retrofit to a Cargill vessel, expected for delivery in 2022.
To ensure a smooth pathway to bring the technology onto the global stage, BAR Technologies, Cargill and other WindWings project partners are in regular dialogue with class society DNV, and have already been through hazard workshops to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of the product, ensuring significant progress towards Approval In Principle.
Wind propulsion with route optimisation
To tackle the challenge of shipping’s need to reduce carbon emissions whilst adhering to tight arrival schedules, WindWings offers up to a thirty per cent reduction in fuel consumption for bulk carriers, tankers and other large shipping vessels, by combining wind propulsion with route optimisation. The product features large solid wing sails that measure up to 45 metres in height, fitted to the deck of bulk cargo ships to harness the power of the wind. This original size will be one of three specifications to be brought to market.
Under the terms of the agreement, Yara and BAR Tech will sell WindWings to the wider shipping industry, with BAR Tech retaining the obligation to continue to innovate and establish additional WindWings offerings.
‘As we look to set the shipping industry on track to decarbonise, BAR Technologies’ innovative product will be a crucial step on that journey,’ says Thomas Koniordos, Chief Executive Officer, Yara Marine Technologies. ‘We already have most of the value chain set up and we are getting ready to sell and deploy this breath-taking technology.’
Also read: Wind assisted ship propulsion puts the sail back into sailing
Jan Dieleman, President, Ocean Transportation, Cargill, adds: ‘Wind propulsion is increasingly important due to its high energy saving potential and because it works well in any combination with other devices and fuels. WindWings is a novel solution, which is a great addition to our toolkit and through our partnership we will bring bespoke wind solutions to customers who are actively seeking to reduce CO2 emissions from their supply chain.’
You can see a demonstration of WindWings here.
