The British shipping company Carisbrooke has installed an “Airwing” sail system from GT Wings on a general cargo ship for the first time.
The 124 m long “Vectis Progress” is now on its way to Bilbao, from where it will sail to Canada. The sails are expected to reduce emissions by up to 30%.
According to a statement, George Thompson, founder and CEO of sail manufacturer GT Wings, will be on board for the entire journey to observe the performance of his “Airwings” under real conditions. The “Vectis Progress” will collect data and experience that will be useful for the further development of the sail technology. The partnership was announced in August last year.
Carisbrooke relies on sails from GT Wings
“Every ton of thrust generated by the wind means less dependence on the engine and fewer emissions in the air,” says Thompson. “Wind propulsion is not just an environmental choice, it’s also an economic one. The cost of non-compliance is rising, and integrating wind assist is a no-brainer for forward-thinking ship owners.”
According to GT Wings, the “Airwings” are designed to significantly reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions from commercial shipping. Like similar solutions from Bound4Blue, for example, the technology will provide a practical and cost-effective solution to meet stricter regulations and decarbonization targets.
The technology, which has received £3.7m in funding from the UK Government’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition Round 4 (CMDC4), aims to reduce emissions in the maritime sector by up to 30%.
“This pathway represents a significant step forward in proving the feasibility of large-scale wind propulsion,” GT Wings said. Given the “enormous pressure” that the maritime industry is under, the “Airwings” offer an easily retrofittable solution that can be installed on a wide range of vessels.
