The “Spirit of Toulouse” is designed to transport Airbus components across the Atlantic with low emissions. To this end, it is fitted with Flettner rotors. An anti-drift system ensures that it does not stray off course during its crossings.
This was supplied by the Hamburg-based company Becker Marine Systems for the “Spirit of Toulouse ”. The anti-drift system, which is based on so-called daggerboard technology, has now been successfully tested on board the vessel.
The 168-metre-long “Spirit of Toulouse” was built for the French shipping company Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA). It will in future operate between the European Airbus production sites and the final assembly plant in Mobile, Alabama (USA).
The aim is for these transport operations to be low-emission. To this end, the vessel has been fitted with six 35-metre-high Flettner rotors from the Finnish manufacturer Norsepower. These utilise the power of the wind to generate additional propulsion, thereby reducing fuel consumption. The so-called Wind Assisted Propulsion System (WAPS) is supported by the Anti-Drift Daggerboard System from Becker Marine Systems.
Daggerboards to counter drift
In addition to the desired propulsion, wind-assisted propulsion systems also generate lateral forces that can cause the vessel to veer off course. This is where Becker Marine Systems’ daggerboard technology comes into play.
The hydrodynamically optimised underwater fins generate a targeted buoyancy force that counteracts lateral drift. This allows a greater proportion of the wind power generated by the rotor sails to be utilised for effective propulsion. This improves the overall efficiency of the propulsion system and helps to reduce fuel consumption and the associated emissions.
Becker Marine Systems supplied a retractable daggerboard for the “Spirit of Toulouse”. The fins each have a surface area of 8.8 m². The system is designed to generate a lift force of 300 kN per vessel.
One of three
The “Spirit of Toulouse” is part of a new fleet of three wind-assisted Ro-Ro cargo ships. In addition to wind assistance, the ships are fitted with dual-fuel engines that can also run on alternative fuels. According to Airbus, the three ships are expected to reduce annual CO₂ emissions from transatlantic shipping by more than half by 2030 compared with 2023.
“Wind-assisted propulsion systems can make a significant contribution to the decarbonisation of shipping. However, it is crucial that all components of a ship work together optimally. With our daggerboards, we create the hydrodynamic conditions needed to harness the power of the wind even more efficiently for propulsion. The ‘Spirit of Toulouse’ impressively demonstrates the potential of this holistic approach,” explains Tobias Haack, Managing Director of Becker Marine Systems.
