Cargo Ship Powered by Wind Demonstrates Promising Reduction in Shipping Emissions and Fuel Consumption

The trial of WindWings, a British-designed retrofit, on the cargo ship Pyxis Ocean has demonstrated a successful reduction in fuel consumption and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, as evidenced by shipping company data. This six-month trial, conducted by Cargill, underscores the potential of wind power to mitigate the shipping industry's carbon footprint.

While experts consider the results very encouraging, they emphasize that only a small portion of the international shipping fleet is currently utilizing this technology.

WindWings Cut Pyxis Ocean's Fuel and CO2, Encouraging Industry Shift

The Pyxis Ocean embarked on a six-month journey across the Indian and Pacific Oceans, as well as the North and South Atlantic, following the installation of WindWings in Shanghai.

Throughout this period, the vessel displayed a daily fuel consumption reduction of three tonnes, leading to a noteworthy decrease of 11.2 tonnes of CO2 emissions for each day the sails were deployed. Cargill estimates that if this pattern continues over a year, it would be tantamount to removing 480 cars from the roads.

The sails employed on the Pyxis Ocean differ from traditional wind-powered vessels, resembling wind turbine blades. These sails, folded down in port, stand at 123ft (37.5m) when unfurled on the open seas. The ship set sail in August 2023 after the wings' installation in Shanghai.

While acknowledging the industry's immense emissions, with international shipping responsible for 837 million tonnes of CO2 annually, Cargill expresses encouragement in the results. Jan Dieleman, president of Cargill's Ocean Transportation business, emphasizes the importance of wind-harnessing technologies in achieving decarbonization goals.

Cargill is actively collaborating with over 250 global ports to facilitate berthing for ships equipped with WindWings. The UK-based designer, BAR Technologies, plans to outfit additional ships and intends to use three wings instead of two in the future, amplifying fuel and emission savings.

How Does It Work?

After more than a century since the Age of Sail, climate change concerns are reviving wind-assisted propulsion for cargo ships, potentially reducing emissions. Picture large, movable wings resembling Boeing 747 wings vertically set on a ship.

Computerized sensors adjust these wings to harness wind, significantly saving fuel and decreasing carbon emissions, offering a greener future for the shipping industry.

WindWings technology, among various wind-assisted propulsion innovations, acts as a supplement to a ship's engine. These wings can be folded down when not in use. The propulsion mechanism involves a top view of the ship, where the wind blowing across the wing's surface creates a difference in air pressure, generating thrust that propels the ship forward.

As wind splits around the curved wing, it creates high and low-pressure zones, contributing to the ship's movement. This technology presents a promising solution for reducing fuel consumption and emissions in the shipping industry.

Gavin Allwright, secretary-general of the International Windship Association (IWSA), a non-profit trade organization supporting wind propulsion in commercial shipping, describes shipping as distinct. Throughout history, ships relied on clean and renewable wind energy, shifted to carbon-based fuels, and are now aiming to return to zero carbon-at least that's the aspiration.

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