News & Media
Decade of Wind Propulsion
International Windship Association and it’s 150+ members have declared the period 2021-2030 as the “Decade of Wind Propulsion”, a decade of delivering wind propulsion installations, optimising the technology solutions and helping to facilitate a quicker, deeper and ultimately cheaper transition to a fully decarbonised fleet. Press Release – Driving the Decade of Wind Propulsion
Open Letter – A Level Playing Field Needed in Shipping Decarbonisation
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May 2023
23 May – Upcoming Events in France
Wind propulsion is in the spotlight in France over the next two weeks.
01-02 June – The IWSA SG will be speaking at the Wind for Goods event along with many of the French and international members of the International Windship Association – This should be quite an event and if you are interested in meeting the pioneers, innovators, experts and entrepreneurs active in the wind propulsion field, come and join us for an intense and enjoyable two days.
29-31 May – Academics, designers and engineers will gather in Lorient for the Innov’sail 2023 conference to discuss both racing/yacht technologies and commercial wind propulsion systems, synergies and engineering developments. IWSA will host a panel on performance assessments.
24-25 May – Policy & Decarbonisation Experts will come together at the European Maritime Days in Brest, with a key panel discussion featuring wind propulsion advocates, Association Windship and ECSA.
Upcoming Events Internationally – International Windship Association will also be represented on panel discussions in Norshipping (06 June), at the UN HQ in New York for the Law of the Sea Seminar (06 June) and at SeaFuture in La Specia, Italy (07 June)
23 May – Article: Massive Sails Power Ships Like Never Before, WIRED Magazine
Rethinking the way we do shipping – technology, timing, logistics etc. is challenging. However, the boardroom has gone through quite a transformation over the last few years, especially in Europe. Board members get the climate issue, they get the problem of pollution and the need for change, but naturally they also have to give value to their shareholders, and one of the big things with wind is that it’s a free energy source. Very few transport business models are geared to incorporating this fact, but when we do bring that zero-cost/zero-emissions energy into the equation then we get to ask some really important questions around how we move goods and people at sea cleanly and affordably in the coming decades. Read more…
17 May – Press release: Team Malizia and Windcoop Cooperate on Wind Shipping Project
Congratulations to Windcoop and TEAM MALIZIA on teaming up and promoting commercial wind propulsion and on this primary wind ship project in particular. Looking forward to seeing this vessel design coming off the drawing board and into operation. Read more…
17 May – Press Release: bound4blue and Oceanking team up to offer innovative wind-assisted propulsion technology in Greece and Cyprus
bound4blue has announced a partnership with Oceanking S.A. to expand access to the eSAIL technology in Greece and Cyprus. As the industry strives towards decarbonization, it becomes increasingly crucial for shipowners to have access to proven solutions that enhance both profitability and sustainability. This is even of greater importance knowing that Greek-owned fleets represent an impressive 59% of the European Union controlled fleet, serving as the backbone of European shipping. In addition to that, Cyprus has the third largest merchant fleet in Europe and the 11th largest in the world. This partnership directly addresses these pressing needs by empowering shipowners in these regions with cutting-edge technology to achieve their goals and pave the way for a greener future. Read more…
15 May – New Design Announcement – VELA is a French start-up designing and equipping cargo sailboats aiming to decarbonize maritime transport thanks to high-performance 100% sailing ships. François Gabart, skipper of the SVR-Lazartigue trimaran, designed by VPLP Design, is also associated with the project as co-founder of Vela. The project also benefits from the technical partnership of MerConcept. The first VELA ships will connect France to the United States, transporting approx. 450 US pallets. Read more…
14 May – Study Paper: Voyage Optimization with Wind Propulsion (Sept 2022) – Ville Paakkari Norsepower, H Wang, C Stigler
Abstract: Wind propulsion has been proven to produce significant fuel savings on commercial vessels. The typical savings potential of wind propulsion on conventional cargo ships is 5-25%. On the other hand, voyage optimization and weather routing has been shown to produce similarly large fuel savings in the order of 15%. Wind is an intermittent energy source, and it often occurs together with waves, making ships installed with wind propulsion especially interesting from weather routing point of view. This means that a holistic approach is needed when conducting weather routing for ships with wind propulsion. Using detailed simulations, this paper studies how the fuel savings potential of wind propulsion can be further improved by coupling it with state-of-the-art voyage optimization software. Via case study examples, it is shown that the savings potential of wind propulsion can be more than doubled by using voyage optimization. Download paper
12 May – MEPC80 Submission – Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships: Wind propulsion technologies as a key enabler
We are very pleased to announce that our MEPC80/INF.33 paper submitted by the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA) and International Windship Association (IWSA) has been accepted and uploaded for public access to IMO Docs and downloadable here
Executive summary: The maritime wind propulsion industry is evolving rapidly with significant strides made in analysis, testing, verification and demonstrator ship deployment that make use of Wind Propulsion Technologies (WPTs). This document highlights much of that progress and summarizes the key themes and papers delivered during a recent event held at IMO.
This gathering of wind propulsion experts and end users on 16-17 February 2023 at IMO Headquarters in London, represented a significant milestone in the journey to develop a wind-powered fleet fit for the 2030’s and beyond. The keynote speech by the IMO Secretariat referred to both the scale of the challenge of decarbonization facing the shipping industry but also outlining the positive initiatives underway in IMO. The Secretariat also highlighted how the potential for wind propulsion aligns with these IMO and industry goals and will be an important technology segment available to reach the goals to be set at MEPC 80.
The paper includes short summaries of each of the conference papers presented through the two days and full copies of these proceedings can be ordered from RINA directly – check for details https://www.rina.org.uk/Wind_Propulsion_2023.html or email request to publications@rina.org.uk
12 May – Youth Poster Contest – ‘Wind Ship – The Future’ – We have updated our Select jury pages, for the Youth Poster contest with 19 judges from 12 different countries covering the shipping industry, ship design, media, government, academia, ocean and maritime NGO’s, youth groups and renewable energy. With four more days to go until our new deadline for submissions, we are looking forward to publishing the entries on the website and progressing to the next stage of the contest.
10 May – Upcoming event on 19 May – High-Level Malizia Panel Debate about Decarbonization of Shipping and Wind Propulsion – Newport, Rhode Island, USA
Team Malizia is about to arrive in Newport after the 4th leg of the Ocean Race 2023. It was a tough race leg from Brazil up to the US East coast with two boats got de-masted in heavy weather. After a short stop in Newport (Rhode Island) they will set sail again to cross the Atlantic to Denmark (Aarhus) on 21 May. During their stop in Newport, they will hold their High-Level Malizia Panel Debate about Decarbonization of Shipping and Wind Propulsion. Download Programme
If you are around Newport (Rhode Island) please feel free to join the event by registering via this Link (small registration fee applies) Livestreaming the event via our Youtube Channel.
10 May – Sail Cargo Line Launched – Sail Cargo Company EcoClipper on Maiden Voyage
Emission free short sea Western European liner service has started. De Tukker, the first ship operated by sail cargo company Ecoclipper, has set sail. Leaving Amsterdam carrying chocolate and headed for Porto where she is expected to arrive around May 13th and take on a cargo of wine and olive oil. This is the first voyage on a sailing schedule which will see the ship sail on a regular route across North and West Europe. De Tukker, which was built in 1912 has over 300 square metres of sail, carrying capacity of about 70 cubic metres (50-70 tons) & accommodation for up to 12 trainees or travellers. Read more…
10 May – Article (in Dutch) – Is de tijd van scheepsmotoren voorbij nu zeilvrachtvaart de wind mee heeft?
This Dutch article asks the key headline question that with the growth of wind powered vessels; “Is zero-emissions shipping within our grasp?” Read more…
09 May – Seminar on the IMO GHG developments ahead of MEPC 80, IMO HQ, London
IWSA Secretary General joined leading experts in the IMO to present the current state of play with the discussions on MEPC80, the IMO strategy and long term measures. This timely three-hour seminar was organised by the IMO delegation of Thailand along with Opportunity Green and featured presentations by IMO, UMAS/UCL, UNCTAD, DNV/Ricardo, UN Global Compact, Global Maritime Forum, ITF among others. Much of the debate to date on measures to reach ambitious decarbonisation goals has been centred on alternative fuel provision and cost.
The IWSA presentation focused on ‘delivery and no long-term cost’, with wind +energy efficiency+operational optimisation being able to deliver significantly on ambitious 2030 interim GHG reductions and can be a solid foundation for bold high ambition 2050 targets. There will be much debate over the next couple of months ahead of MEPC80 but these key issues resonated throughout the seminar; we have the tools and fuels to deliver, we can do this at scale and quickly if we so choose, costs are manageable, just/equitable transition needs to be integrated into the process and our carbon budget to stay within 1.5C of warming is dwindling fast.
05 May – Youth Poster Contest: ‘Wind Ship – The Future’ – Select Jury Members
We are delighted to announce our first tranche of select jury members for the ‘Wind Ship – The Future’ youth poster contest. This list includes world famous sailors, shipping industry professionals, shipping journalists, leading academics, maritime educators, youth ocean climate advocates and climate, environment and ocean NGO leaders. We will also be adding some additional jury members over the next week. Read more…
Submission Deadline – Extension – NOTE: We have also extended the submission deadline by 4 days to May 16 (as some schools have been on holiday) – Submission Criteria
Please remember, there will also be a public vote from May 18.
02 May – Article: The ‘Coanda Effect’: Shipping industry looks to laws of aerodynamics to slash emissions
A research team at Chalmers University of Technology claims to be the first to demonstrate that it is possible to reduce the aerodynamic resistance of ships by up to 7.5% using the “Coanda effect”. They also believe that harnessing that could be highly beneficial to future wind propelled shipping. Read more…
April 2023
27 April – Ship Captain’s Interview – SC Connector
A very interesting interview with the Captain of the Sea-Cargo AS SC Connector, a Ro-Ro vessel operating in the North Sea with two tiltable 35m Norsepower rotor sails, certified by DNV.
“Always on schedule with rotor sails – a captain tells his story”. The interview gives you a clear insight, from the captain’s perspective, into the benefits of using wind propulsion systems, in particular flettner rotors, and some of the operational changes. Read more…
27 April – Article in the New Yorker – The Climate Crisis Gives Sailing Ships a Second Wind. Cargo vessels are some of the dirtiest vehicles in existence. Can a centuries-old technology help to clean them up? Read more…
27 April – Nor-Shipping Awards 2023 – Wind Blows Strong in the Shortlist Announcement
We are very pleased to see that six wind propulsion projects feature in the shortlists for the prestigious Nor-Shipping Awards this year with the winners to be announced on 05 June.
Next Generation Ship Award
– Swedish operator Terntank’s Hybrid Tanker 15,000dwt newbuildings, with suction sail systems
– Mitsubishi Corporation’s 80,926dwt Kamsarmax bulk carrier Pyxis Ocean is the retrofit entry, with a new sail system for the 2017-built ship showcasing BAR Technology and Yara Marine Technology’s WindWings Technology.
– Neoline’s Neoliner 136, a primary wind-powered ro-ro vessel which can also carry containers, which will have 3,000m2 of sail area. Chantiers de l’Atlantique is supplying its SolidSail system.
Ocean Solutions Award
– Oceanbird wind assist technology from the Alfa Laval/Wallenius joint venture Alfawall. The wing sails, which have more in common with airplane wings than traditional sails, can transform the viability of wind power for large deep-sea vessels
Young Entrepreneur Award
– Christina Aleixendri Munos, Co-founder and CEO, bound4blue
– Danielle Southcott, Founder, Veer Corporation
26 April – Webinar: Gone with the Wind, WASP project results and impacts
The final WASP project webinar discussed the deliverables, results and impacts of the project along with representatives from all of the main work groups. The webinar was moderated by Craig Eason from Fathom World and featured contributions from Dr Josh Lacey, KUL, Dr Sofia Werner, RISE, Dr Gordon Wilmsmeier, KLU and Gavin Allwright, IWSA. Recording will be available soon.
25 April – Article: Return Voyage – Energy Centric Approach to Green Corridor Development
‘Shipping is the only global transport industry that transitioned from zero-emissions to heavy fossil fuel dependency and is now making the return voyage’ – in this article in April’s edition of Bunkerspot, our Secretary general takes a look at the new “Green Corridors’ phenomenon and links that to a very old ‘wind corridor’ network we have used for centuries and is still freely available to us today. Bringing zero-emissions/zero-cost wind energy for direct ship propulsion into the equation changes the techno-economic dynamic and we can then ask the question; “Shouldn’t this be playing a far more prominent role in any zero-emissions network that we are constructing?” Read more – Return voyage
23 April – New Class Guidelines – ClassNK release “Guidelines for Wind-Assisted Propulsion Systems for Ships (Edition 2.0) These guidelines update the existing guidelines release in 2019 which specify requirements for ensuring the safety of ships equipped with wind-assisted propulsion systems based on the latest insights obtained from the involvement in actual installation projects.
The guidelines are available to download via ClassNK’s website for those who have registered for the ClassNK “My Page”.
20 April – Webinar: Wind technologies for cleaner shipping
WASP project presented and discussed the key project results from the WASP project in a webinar chiefly aimed at EU policy makers but also wider maritime stakeholders. The webinar was organised by Green Transition Denmark and featured presentations and panellists: Dr Kare Press-Kristensen, Senior Advisor, Green Transition Denmark, Gavin Allwright, Secretary General, International Windship Association, Dr Cristiam Gil, Senior Researcher, Kühne Logistics University and Marko Möller, Manager, Special projects, Scandlines. Recording will be available soon.
19 April – Contract Announcement – Singapore-based Ocean Network Express (ONE) announced it will install two 10.5m x 2.8m containerized Ventofoils (an upgraded Ventifoil) wind assist units supplied by Econowind on the Norse-owned, 143m, 1036 TEU feeder container ship the MV Kalamazoo by the end of 2023. As far as we know, this will be the first container ship with some form of wind-assist capability. Read more…
19 April – Green4Sea ‘Personality’ Award picked up by IWSA Secretary General
We are delighted to announce that Gavin Allwright, IWSA Secretary General has been awarded the Personality award in this year’s Green 4 Sea Awards. Gavin states: “I am delighted to receive this award. It is not just a personal award but underscores the great achievements that the wind propulsion innovators, pioneers, designers, engineers and entrepreneurs have all notched up over the last few years. It continues to be my honour to work alongside them and on whose shoulders I stand. Thank you to all of them for what they teach me everyday, and to the Green4Sea team and to the industry for this recognition. We will continue to strive forwards, moving ever quicker to decarbonise the fleet using this zero-emissions, zero-cost energy source and continue collaborating with all stakeholders in the industry. A Win-Win-Wind situation!”
17-21 April – Blueweek conference in Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Thank you to MARIN and all of the excellent presenters during the Natural Propulsion Seminar, Zero-Emissions seminar and throughout the week. With 80+ attendees there was lively debate on the technical developments in the wind propulsion sector alongside innovations in zero-emissions fuel and technologies – a week in the sun well spent! Presentations will be uploaded in due course
17 April – IWSA Quarterly Members Meeting
We had an active and informative meeting held in person at the Blueweek Venue in Palma with c.30 members present in person with another 20+ members attending virtually. Discussions hinged around policy matters with the impending EU regulation changes and IMO deliberations in June and July. We had an update on the wind propulsion market developments, IWSA activities, and upcoming events.
13 April – New Class Guidelines – China Classification Society has released their Guidelines for Survey of Marine Wind-Rotor Assisted Propulsion System 2023 in English Read more…
13 April – We are delighted to announce the first IWSA Youth Poster Competition
We invite budding artists (02-17 years old) from all over the world to submit their original artwork on the theme of “Wind Ship – The Future”. Your poster, picture or short animated video billboard should transport us to a future where ships are powered by the wind.
Using wind to power ships is a powerful beacon of clean, green and sustainable pathways to living in harmony with our planet and we would love to see your ideas, your creativity, inspiration and dreams for these ships of the future.
Deadline for Submissions – 12 May 2023
Competition details – Competition Webpage
Press Release – Download
08 April – Article – SWZ Maritime asked our Secretary General to share his thoughts on the wind propulsion market and where that is heading. His conclusion: “2023 and 2024 are lining up to be the take-off period for this technology and the question shipowners are now asking themselves is ‘do we move now and lock in the benefits today, including gaining a label of “pioneer?”’, or ‘do we hold fire, make our vessels wind-ready and wait for costs to lower due to economies of scale and a significant learning curve over the next two years?’ This is something of a quandary – should one harness free, zero-emissions wind energy today, or do it tomorrow – not a bad dilemma to have.” Read more…
07 April – Award Winners – Congratulations to the team at GT Green Technologies on winning the Start-up of the Year award at the Maritime UK Awards! Read more…
07 April – Guidelines for Survey of Marine Wind-Rotor Assisted Propulsion System 2023 – The China Classification Society has released their Wind-Rotor guidelines that are now available for download.
06 April – Blueweek -Registration is still open for the conference in Palma, Majorca – Detailed Program
IWSA will hold it’s quarterly members meeting on Monday, 17th April, followed by the Natural Propulsion Seminar with many wind-related papers and the Zero-emissions seminar on the 18th. Register here
05 April – The Association Wind Ship (The Atlantic hub of IWSA) joins forces with IRT Jules Verne to breathe new life into sailing – The Wind Ship association, which brings together the main sailing transport companies, has just joined forces with IRT Jules Verne to accelerate the industrial development of the sector in France. Read more…
03 April – Article – Wind propulsion returns to commercial vessels
It has taken a raft of regulatory initiatives, but finally, wind is back on the agenda as a main source of propulsion. Free-to-use wind as a source of energy across vessel types is firmly back on the agenda. The current projects based on wind power fall into two camps: one involves maximising available wind to provide a main source of propulsion. Read more…
March 2023
31 March – Norsepower has signed a contract with Iino Kaiun Kaisha Ltd for the installation of two 20m x 4m rotor sails on a newbuild Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC).
The LPG dual-fuel vessel has been delivered wind-ready today from Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co, Ltd. in Korea, and the side-by-side rotors will be installed in Q2 2024. Read more…
29 March – Green4Sea Athens Forum – IWSA Secretary General was delighted to have presented at Green4sea Athens forum alongside Aihara-san, from IWSA member ClassNK – Nippon Kaiji Kyokai, in Athens – presenting and discussing the lowest hanging fruit when it comes to zero-emissions propulsion options – Direct wind propulsion!
24 March – IMO Intersessional Working Group GHG 14 – A long week of negotiations held at the Intersessional working group at the International Maritime Organization in preparation for MEPC80. Nothing is decided until everything is decided and a wide spectrum of positions were stated on the key ambitions for the new decarbonisation strategy and there was growing understanding on what mid-/long-term measures may look like – some form of carbon levy with proceeds returned in part to the industry to facilitate the transition and in part to LDC/SIDs for adaptation measures backed by a Global Fuel Standard.
The steep challenge going forward is to reach the level of ‘deliverable’ reductions that align closely with the Paris goals and reports such as last week’s bleak IPCC AR6 synthesis report that requires swift and deep cuts to emissions in all sectors up to 50% this decade. We heard little convergence on that, but a clear appreciation in the room that action has to be taken tempered by the concerns by quite a number of countries on the potential negative economic impacts of such rapid decarbonisation.
We support those high ambition efforts, primarily by reminding delegates that we have a significant basket of measures beyond the costly but necessary proposed 5% target of alternative low/zero-emissions fuel by 2030. Wind propulsion along with energy efficiency measures and operational changes can each deliver 20%+ of the emissions reductions required, and importantly pay for themselves within a few years. These will do much of the heavy lifting over the next 10-15 years (and beyond)
Thus bold and ambitious targets can be achieved if we support first movers, focus on these low hanging fruit now and deliver regulatory certainty and a mid-term financial framework in July.
P.S. Great to see a wind-assist vessel displayed prominently as the holding slide during the proceedings!
24 March – Article – Shipping starts to embrace wind propulsion as sail system installations rise
The first two WindWings sails from BAR Technologies and Yara MarineTecnologies will be installed on a vessel in May and orders of up to 100 WindWings are expected by the end of 2024. Read more…
24 March – Capital Ship Management Corp. Wind-ready MR Tankers – Capital Ship Management Corp. based in Piraeus, Greece, has taken delivery of it’s third wind-assist ready newbuild, 50,000 dwt Chemical/Product MR tanker vessel, the M/T Avax (along with the sister ships the M/T Agisilaos in February and the M/T Alkiviadis in January). Three more vessels are expected to be delivered in 2023 with the wind-assist ready notations by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).
Read more…
24 March – Lots going on at SubSeaSail. They will be launching their upgraded HORUS in the next weeks! It will look the same as previous iterations but have significantly enhanced capabilities.
23 March – Article – Cargo ships powered by wind could help tackle climate crisis
Shipping produces a significant portion of the world’s greenhouse gases but new technology offers solutions to cut fuel use Read more…
23 March – Fit for 55: deal on new EU rules for cleaner maritime fuels
The EU trialogue has reached a provisional agreement on the FuelEU Maritime initiative, that delivers a raised ambition on decarbonisation, but there is still work to be done during subsequent review cycles. The 6% reduction target by 2030 and 14.5% by 2035, 31% by 2040 and 80% by 2050 still lacks the level of ambition we need to bring the scale of change we need in the industry, especially with the weak near-term alignment with the EU Fit 55, 55% carbon reduction target by 2030 overall and the latest IPCC A6 synthesis report requiring 50% reduction in every sector in the same period..
The review process does however open the door to raise that ambition, and we know as wind propulsion grows substantially in the next few years there will be better understanding among the policy makers of the substantial contribution it brings, but time is of the essence.
Key issues that also remain unresolved include: multipliers delivered to RFNBO fuels but not to zero-emissions energy sources such as wind propulsion, technology/fuel neutrality, the need to expand provisions to vessels under 5,000GT which are often vital ship sizes for the roll-out of innovative green technologies. Read more…
22 March – Construction of the first 136m NEOLINE “Neoliner”, a primary wind powered RoRo ship for routes in the North Atlantic has commenced at the RMK Marine Gemi Yapım Sanayii ve Deniz Taşımacılığı İşletmesi A.Ş shipyard in Turkey. The vessel will feature 2 x 76m solid sail systems designed by Chantiers de l’Atlantique. The customers for this first vessel include Renault Group, BENETEAU Group, MANITOU Group, Michelin, Hennessy, Groupe Clarins, Longchamp and Rémy Cointreau. Investors include CMA CGM and Corsica Ferries. Read more…
21 March – Award Winners – Congratulations to Wallenius Wilhelmsen and Oceanbird team for the Orcelle Wind project being awarded the prestigious Heyerdahl Award 2023 Read more…
17 March – BBC video – A compact BBC show following the Oceanbird project and their vision for the return and scaling of wind propulsion. Read more…
16 March – International Conference on Wind Propulsion for Ships in Busan – the first major wind propulsion event to be held in Korea organised by SSPA/RISE
16 March – Thordon Bearings Delivers Robust Support To Wind Power-In-A-Box Technology
Great to see Thordon Bearings Inc. involved with the Aloft Systems demonstrator. As Craig Carter, Thordon Bearings’ VP Business Development, states: “As a member of the International Windship Association (IWSA), we are keen to support new developments in sustainable propulsion technology. Wind is currently the only zero-emission means of propulsion and Aloft Systems has found a way of making that energy available for all vessels.” Read more…
15 March – Terntank wind-ready vessels – As wind propulsion momentum continues a pace, the market is increasingly embracing wind-assist solutions in both retrofit and new builds, with the tanker market starting to follow the bulker segment. Here the Finnish North European Oil Trade (NEOT) group has signed a charter agreement with TERNTANK for the shipping company’s two newbuild wind/methanol-ready hybrid tankers that will be delivered in 2025. Read more…
14 March – Article – Future Cargo Ships Could Be Powered by Wind
As part of the two-year development program, scientists will test the impact of a retractable 20-meter-high FastRig wing-sail. Scientists from the University of Southampton have received funding from Innovate UK to investigate the potential of the technology as part of efforts to decarbonize the UK’s maritime sector. Read more…
13 March – Motorships 44th Propulsion & Future Fuels Conference – International Windship Association has returned as supporters for the 44th Propulsion & Future Fuels Conference to be held 21-23 November, 2023 in Hamburg, Germany
Read more…
13 March – Article – Ships harness wind for voyage to a cleaner future
Cristina Aleixendri Muñoz from bound4blue states “In the end, wind propulsion is providing free, renewable energy that you don’t have to store or invest in infrastructure to supply,”
Rogier Eggers from MARIN (Maritime Research Institute Netherlands) as part of the Optiwise EU project suggests that innovations could deliver savings of well over 30% in carbon emissions, maybe even reaching as much as 50%. Read more…
13 March – News from the small vessel sail cargo segment, the SV Blue Mermaid has been issued with her official permit to carry cargo under sail enabling the Sea-Change Sailing Trust to deliver sail training voyages with real purpose on routes between Lowestoft in Suffolk and Sandwich in Kent
The vessel has cargo space for 110 tonnes of cargo and they are currently looking for cargo. As they state; “If taking up to four articulated lorries off the road is not enticing enough, we will also deliver your first cargo for the 1931 freight rate! Read more…
12 March – Award Winners – Congratulations to Chantiers de l’Atlantique for winning the 2023 JEC Group Composites Innovation Awards in the “Maritime Transportation and Shipbuilding” category for their Solid Sail Mast project. Bureau Veritas delivered an AiP for solid sails in 2022, and are conducting the approval process for the design and construction of the mast and systems.
08 March – The EcoClipper liner service, for passengers and cargo, will start operating from 22 April 2023, departing from Amsterdam at 10 am CET. The traditional two-masted ship De Tukker will sail three times a year on a scheduled service calling at: Amsterdam, Penzance, Porto, Noirmoutier, St. Nazaire, Torquay, London and Scheveningen carrying up to 12 passengers and 70m3 of cargo. Read more…
09 March – New Member – We are very pleased to announce our latest new member, Cargill Ocean Transportation, which is a leading freight-trading organization and charterer of approximately 650 vessels at a time moving 200 million tons of dry and wet bulk commodities around the world annually.
29 March – Upcoming Event – 2023 GREEN4SEA Athens Forum – IWSA official supporter
A must attend event for all companies and individuals interested in Maritime Environmental Excellence and Sustainable Shipping. GREEN4SEA Athens Forum is scheduled as a full day event on
Wednesday 29th of March 2023 at Eugenides Foundation. Do not miss this great opportunity to establish relationships with potential partners, join us at GREEN4SEA Athens Forum! REGISTER NOW
08 March – US & Oceania Tour – The IWSA Secretary General will be travelling to the United States, Fiji, Australia and New Zealand in May 2023. More details of the schedule will be released in the next couple of weeks, however if you are interested to arrange a meeting, attend an event, schedule a media interview or help support this tour, then please get in touch directly at secretary@wind-ship.org
08 March – New Member – We are delighted to have Aurelia Green Ship Concept Design come onboard as a new Associate member and we are looking forward to working with the team to help accelerate the uptake of commercial wind propulsion.
08 March – Agreement Announcement – MOL and VALE will install two 35m Norsepower Rotor Sails™️ on an in-service 200,000dwt Capesize Bulk Carrier in Q2 2024. Read more…
06 March – The Blueweek Natural Propulsion Seminar programme on Day 1 of the BlueWeek is now public. Tuesday 18 April 2023. All details will also be available on the www.blueforum.org site by the end of the week.
06 March – Extended Article on Wind Propulsion in one of the leading German newspapers, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, asking the question;
Eine grüne Revolution für die Seefahrt? (A green revolution for seafaring?) Read more… (German)
02-03 March – The Shipping, Sustainability and Solutions conference saw multiple wind propulsion presentations and even more discussions on current and future projects coming through the pipeline. Thank you to the Kuhne Logistics University Team for organising the well-attended event and to Team Malizia for their keynote presentation.
February 2023
27 February – Congratulations to Zéphyr & Borée and partners for winning this award for the Mervent 2025 project aimed to build the first commercial primary wind container vessel by 2026. Read more…
24 February – IWSA Secretary General was honoured to be asked to make a presentation at the annual SNAME WES Symposium in University of Strathclyde NAOME, Glasgow.
We are very pleased to announce a batch of new members, both full members and registered supporters. We are looking forward to working together to further our shared aims to bring about a wind-powered future for commercial shipping.
McFarlane ShipDesign (Monaco)
CoFlow Jet (USA)
Registered Supporters
Aegean Cargo Sailing (Greece)
Navalt Solar and Electric Boats Pvt Ltd. (India)
Charles Southcott, Royal Navy, Ship Science l Maritime Engineering l University of Southampton (UK)
23 February – Installation: Norsepower has installed two tilting 35m x 5m Rotor Sails on the CLdN MV Delphine, a Ro-Ro vessel in operation between the UK, Ireland and Europe, which is reportedly the largest short sea Ro-Ro vessel operating in the world today. Read more…
20 February – More UK funding News – Shore UK has announced that three wind propulsion projects have secured funding, congratulations to all!
- A second tranche of support for Smart Green Shipping (read more…)
- WindShip Technology secures £4million ($4.5 million) for trialling their wing sails and onboard CCS. (read more…)
- Wingtek – for prototype and piloting their wing sail designs
A Winter Gust of Media Attention
February has seen quite a lot of wind propulsion media attention and we are delighted to see that.
Bunkerworld – Gavin Allwright, our Secretary General outlines his take on shipping developments, impacts of regulations, the need for high ambition in decarbonisation and how we might achieve that with wind propulsion installations etc. Quite a read, but very worthwhile! Download PDF – Bunkerspot Survey 2023
Splash 24/7 – Wind Power for Shipping – Nice to Have or a Must https://splash247.com/wind-power-for-shipping-nice-to-have-or-a-must/
Maritime Executive – Sailing Cargo Ships are Making a Genuine Comeback https://www.maritime-executive.com/editorials/sailing-cargo-ships-are-making-a-genuine-comeback
Lloyds List – Optimising Voyages Would Boost CII Ratings Says Study – https://lloydslist.maritimeintelligence.informa.com/LL1143977/Optimising-voyages-would-boost-CII-ratings-says-study
Financial Times – Shipping lines return to proven power of wind https://www.ft.com/content/50656582-8b42-47d9-9bcf-decb0f976dd3
Offshore Energy – Bulkers emerging as champions of wind-assisted propulsion as rotors sails hold sway over WPT installations https://www.offshore-energy.biz/bulkers-emerging-as-champions-of-wind-assisted-propulsion-as-rotor-sails-hold-sway-over-wpt-installations/
IWSA: Momentum continues to grow for wind-installed vessels https://www.offshore-energy.biz/iwsa-momentum-continues-to-grow-for-wind-installed-vessels/
Ship & Bunker – Wind Propulsion Installations to Triple in 2023 – https://shipandbunker.com/news/world/149632-wind-propulsion-installations-to-triple-in-2023
Two new websites:
The activist shipping company: Windcoop is changing maritime transport on a social level https://www.wind.coop/en/
New Energy Shipping – Carbon Free Shipping for a Zero Carbon Future, Connecting Europe with Reliable, Effective, Zero-Carbon Cargo Services https://www.newenergyshipping.com/
International Conference on Wind Propulsion for Ships (KOREA) – 16 March
Pleased to see another wind propulsion conference underway, this time SSPA – Your Maritime Solution Partner and the Korean Register taking the lead for this event in Busan. There is a growing interest in wind propulsion solutions among stakeholders in Korea and the wider N.E. Asia region and International Windship Association and our membership look forward to increased engagement with the region going forward – registration links below.
Korean Register(KR) and Maritime at RISE (former SSPA) cordially invite you to attend ‘International conference on Wind Propulsion for Ships’ on 16th March, 2023. The conference will be held at Nurimaru APEC House 2F Conference room, Busan, Korea.
This first event on Wind Propulsion for Ships in Korea will focus on technological innovation, challenges and possibilities to save fuel and improve EEXI and CII values. Several word-leading technology provides from Europe and Korea will present their current and future solutions.
The challenges of decarbonisation of sea transports will require global collaboration. Therefore, this event will also offer opportunities for networking with partners from the Korean and European shipping industry.
Please register in here (No registration fee required):International Conference on Wind Propulsion for Ships
16-17 February – Wind Propulsion 2023
We would like to extend our thanks to all of the presenters that joined IWSA and the Royal Institution of Naval Architects at the conference held at the IMO HQ building in London. A big thank you is also extended to our keynote speaker on the 16th,
With 117 attendees, this was a high level gathering of many of the leading experts in the wind propulsion sphere, some excellent networking opportunities and a glass or two of beer to boot.
We would also like to thank the event sponsor Yara Marine Technologies.
All attendees will have access to the presentations and full papers once those are published, and if you weren’t able to join us, you can still order a copy of the proceedings by contacting RINA directly.
We will see you all again for the next conference in 2024
If you would like to get a feel for the proceedings please check these articles:
Fathom https://fathom.world/still-blowin-in-the-wind/
https://fathom.world/opinion-getting-the-wind-in-their-wings/
10 February – Congratulations to Michelin and the WISAMO team on DNV awarding their Approval in Principle (AiP) for the WISAMO wing sail system. Read more…
REMINDER – Are you interested in joining the WASP project team for the following seminar on Wednesday, 23 February – WASP Best Practices Exchange: Linking technological capabilities to the business case for wind assisted ship propulsion.
Date: 23/02/2023, 10.30-12 CET
Place: Online (Microsoft Teams)
Download details – WASP Best Practice Exchange – 23 Feb 2023
06 February – Press Release – Smart Green Shipping celebrates new wave of investment from MOL Drybulk Ltd and Scottish Enterprise Read more…
4 February – IWSA Newsletter from December 2022 is now available to download IWSA Newsletter Dec 2022
02 February – IWSA presentation entitled Re-wind not Rewind: 21st Century Wind Propulsion System and a decarbonisation pathway for shipping at Newcastle University, UK to the distinguished members of the N.E. UK Chapter of IMarEST and RINA
01 February – FlettnerFLEET – the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection funding this three year study on rotor sails. The project “FlettnerFLEET – Development of a comprehensive methodology for the integration of Flettner rotors on different types of ships” is led by MARIKO GmbH and launched last month with the aim of completion in 2026. The project will focus on three installations on the E-ship 1 (4 rotors), and the Fehn Pollux and Annika Braren both with single rotors. Read more…
01 February – Holland Shipyards Group has landed an order to construct two wind-assist 3,600dwt coasters for Dutch shipping company De Bock Maritiem B.V., designed by Conoship International with twin Econowind suction wings.
Upcoming Events (February & March)
There are a string of events in the coming weeks that are either featuring wind propulsion or where IWSA is an official supporting organisation.
16-17 February – Wind Propulsion Conference 2023 – The International Windship Association is teaming up again with RINA to deliver the 3rd Wind Propulsion Conference on 16-17 February 2023. Sponsored by YARA Marine Technologies This will be held at the IMO headquarters in London this time. Register Now! (IWSA member discount)
Shipping, Sustainability and Solutions (SSS2023) Conference – 02-03 March, hosted by the Hapag-Lloyd Center for Shipping and Global Logistics at Kuehne Logistics University and supported by the WASP project is now live. Register here
The full program will be released shortly, but papers and presentations will come from specialists across the shipping sustainability spectrum and will include the final conference materials from the WASP project on day 2 – check out the conference themes. Read more…
CMA Shipping 2023 – 21-23 March (IWSA Official Supporting Organisation) Hilton Stamford | Connecticut, USA
CMA Shipping is the premier meeting place in North America for the global maritime community. More information // Register here (IWSA members discount code is: FKT3879IMIWSA)
January 2023
WASP Project January 2023 Newsletter Release – either download the pdf or view online with flipbook
WASP Newsletter January 2023 (pdf)
WASP Newsletter January 2023 Flipbook
31 January – Funding Announcement – Congratulations to the team at Norsepower for securing the Ilmastorahasto – The Finnish Climate Fund capital loan of up to EUR10m ($10.85m) for increasing its production capacity. Read more…
29 January – Wind-ready Tankers – Another first in the wind propulsion world. Capital Ship Management Corp. took delivery of the first of six American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) designated Wind-Assisted Ready newbuild tankers, the 50,000dwt MR tanker ‘Alkiviadis’, built by Hyundai Vietnam Shipyard Co Ltd. Read more…
27 January – Oceanbird was live from the ABBA arena in London, the event featured the Oceanbird team and Wallenius Wilhelmsen along with experts from IMO, NTE and WSC – Watch Video
27 January – Wind-assist Design from Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. receiving an AiP from ClassNK – Nippon Kaiji Kyokai. Wind is compatible with all new alternative (and current) fuels, reducing total operational costs, which will be extremely important in the next couple of decades as these current fossil fuel derived alternatives are replaced with greener renewable energy produced versions.
26 January – New Member – Team Malizia, the professional sailing team led by German skipper, Boris Herrmann has become the first offshore sailing team to become a member of the International Windship Association (IWSA) Press Release
26 January – Installation contract – Congratulations to Norsepower, SOCATRA and TotalEnergies on signing a contract for the installation of 2 x 35m x 5m rotor sails on the French flagged MR tanker by the end of the year. Read more…
24 January – The first images of Grain de Sail 2, the second sail cargo vessel to be operated by the group which is under construction in Vietnam and will have a load capacity multiplied by 7 compared to Grain de Sail 1 Watch Video
23 January – Press Release – Aurelia Green Ship Concept Design green retrofitting for a 205k DWT Bulk carrier for GHG emissions reduction in concert with NEPA SHIPPING and ALOFT SYSTEMS Read more…
22 January – Classification Guidelines – Good to hear that the China Classification Society (CCS) has issued guidance for wind-assist installations, the spread of class guidelines for wind propulsion is a clear indication of the growth of interest in the sector and the need to standardise these approaches as the market gains momentum. The Guidelines for Wind-Assisted Propulsion Systems for Ships are available to download free of charge via CCS’s website www.ccs.org.cn
20 January – Announcement – You can now support the new Andrus Fellowship described below, which is fully aligned with the mission of the Center for Post Carbon Logistics. All donations through 3.1.23 will be used to support the charitable purposes of this project Read more…
The Erik Andrus Sustainable Regional Logistics Fellowship is a project of The Center for Post Carbon Logistics. The position is named for Erik Andrus, the rice farmer who created the Vermont Sail Freight vessel Ceres and inspired many regional “make-sustainability-real” efforts. As such the Coordinator will emphasize practical, day-to-day work, but also fundraising and meeting with various governmental and commercial entities, toward these goals but also emphasize sharing of information and building of community to aid in the overall effort. Support our work here
19 January – New Member – We are delighted to welcome NAPA as an IWSA member as the company is expanding its efforts to support the decarbonization of shipping by becoming an associate member. Press Release
18 January – Press release – Through its subsidiary GROUPE SEALOGIS, GEODIS becomes shipping agent for France for the shipping company Zéphyr & Borée. As shipping agent for France, GROUPE SEALOGIS will be responsible for presenting, promoting and marketing the services of Zéphyr & Borée to its clientele of shippers and forwarders. Read more…
18 January – NEOLINE Armateur has signed a contract for the construction of the first Neoliner, a 136m long Ro-Ro sailing cargo ship with the Turkish shipyard RMK MARINE. This contract came into force on January 6, 2023 after the required conditions were met. The vessel will be outfitted with the SolidSail rigging system, supplied by Chantiers de l’Atlantique.
The first Neoliner is supported and co-financed by CMA CGM, ADEME Investissement, NEOLINE Développement, Corsica Ferries, Louis Hardy S.A.S, the Banque des Territoires and the Région Pays de la Loire. The share of bank financing is provided by the Crédit industriel et commercial (CIC) and guaranteed by the Public Bank of Investment (Bpifrance).
This first vessel is scheduled to be delivered and commissioned mid-2025 on the transatlantic pilot line between Saint-Nazaire (FR), Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon (FR), Baltimore (US) and Halifax (CAN).
16 January – MARIKO hosted the kick off meeting for the FlettnerFLEET project. Over the next three years, they will strive for the further development of rotor technology, develop Flettner rotor ships and take care of monitoring and assistance systems.
15 January – Oceanbird, Wallenius Wilhelmsen and project partners have secured a Horizon Europe funding totalling EUR 9m to support building a RoRo sailing vessel. Over the next five years, all aspects of planning, building, and operating a wind-powered vessel, the Orcelle Wind, will be done. Read more…
11 January – Vessel Orders – Accor, the hotel company, will enter the cruise industry with the commissioning of two primary wind vessels – the 722-foot, 120-passenger Orient Express Silenseas.
The company signed a letter of intent for two vessels at Chantiers de l’Atlantique for delivery in early 2026 and early 2027. Read more…
10 January – Webinar Presentation – Our Secretary General delivered a presentation on a SNAME Webinar: Re-Wind not Rewind: 21st Century Wind Propulsion Systems & Decarbonisation Pathway for Shipping.
09 January – Corsica Ferries announced it’s investment into Nantes-based NEOLINE, making it possible to complete the financial round for the construction of the 136-meter-long cargo ship with sailor propulsion. The launch of the project is to be announced in the coming days. Read more…
09 January – AYRO receives EU funding for its participation in the WHISPER energy transition project.
An energy transition project comprised of 14 partners, WHISPER, has been granted 9,2 million EUR in funding from Horizon Europe for a 4-year innovation project. The goal of the project is to develop a solution that can significantly reduce emissions from the long-distance maritime industry, which is responsible for around 2.5% of the world‘s total CO2 emissions. WHISPER aims to demonstrate around 30% fuel savings on a retrofit bulk carrier and more than 15% on a retrofit containership. Read more…
04 January – Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line) has completed the installation of the first Seawing, an automated kite system that harnesses wind power, on a Capesize bulk carrier at the end of 2022. Read more…
05 January – International Grain Trade Coalition (IGTC) webinar on Sustainability in the Grains Value Chain featured IWSA SG Presentation on wind propulsion developments.
01 January – Happy New Year to all of our members, supporters, stakeholders and ship owners who are pioneers in the field of wind-assist and primary wind propulsion. To celebrate starting the third year of the ‘Decade of Wind Propulsion’ here are 23 ships for 2023.
December 2022
23 December – Wishing IWSA Members, Supporters and the wider Shipping Industry a restful Holiday Season and a Prosperous 2023!!!
23 December – New Members
We would like to extend a warm welcome to a group of new members and we look forward to working together to build a wind propulsion future for shipping
Associate Members
MAURIC SA (France)
Porcher Industries (France)
Registered Supporters
Ocean Master Engineering (Singapore)
SkyData UAV (US)
Bureau Veritas Solutions Marine & Offshore (France/International)
Nelson Garcez (US)
Dr. Asokendu Samanta – Indian Register of Shipping (India)
SLt Gaurav Tehlan – Naval Construction Officer, Indian Navy (India)
Stefano Scarpa, CEng, MBA (UK)
Vidal Denis (France)
21 December – Announcement – VALE has just launched a contest for methanol-dual fuel VLOC’s that will feature wind-assist systems and a basket of ship efficiency/green tech. This is a request inviting shipowners to offer bids for contracts of affreightment for a new generation of its 325,000 dwt Guaibamax vessels.
The call comes after over a year of operation for the MV Sea Zhoushan VLOC, installed with five tilting rotors sails supplied by Norsepower. This interest in fleet installation of wind-assist systems is obviously a strong message to the market that wind solutions are a no regret propulsion choice that is compatible with all alternative low carbon fuels and ship efficiency measures. Linking these with voyage optimisation and other operational measures can reap very significant savings before the availability of large volumes of affordable green methanol is on the market. Read more…
19 December – IWSA AGM – We held our online AGM with over 50 members in attendance. It has been an extraordinary year that has laid the foundation for an even more intense 2023. We outlined our plans for growth as an organisation to support our members better, host events and commission research in the wind propulsion field. We would like to thank the outgoing executive committee and their re-election this year also a big thanks you to the staff, Natalie, Cath, Claudio and the hub coordinators, especially Lise and Florent over in Nantes. Our plan for action in 2023 will continue to raise the profile of wind propulsion, highlight the raft of demonstrators and projects underway along with the strength of the R&D pipeline and support all of the policy and regulatory work going on.
13 December – IMO Side Event – We had a detailed and hopefully informative side event at the International Maritime Organization MEPC79 yesterday. We would like to thank all of the organisations and presenters and of course the audience.
Our info paper MEPC79 INF 21 is co-sponsored by Finland, France, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Union of Comoros, Royal Institution of Naval Architects and International Windship Association and was developed as one of the deliverables from the EU DG-Move, European Sustainable Shipping Forum (ESSF). We had presentations from the WiSP project led by American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) & MARIN (Maritime Research Institute Netherlands) and Optiwise EU projects presented by Daniel Barcarolo, the WASP (Wind Assisted Ship Propulsion) project presented by Kaare Press-Kristensen, Union of Comoros IMO permanent representative Orestis Schinas, Cristina Aleixendri Muñoz from bound4blue and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. film of the Wind Hunter project.
09 December – Announcement: Chantiers de l’Atlantique celebrates the success of the manufacturing of its first carbon-fiber mast along with Lorima, Multiplast, Avel Robotics, CDK Technologies and SMM, its partners in the project. SolidSail is an efficient, foldable sail made of 100% composite materials created by Chantiers de l’Atlantique. It was engineered to propel Silenseas, which is currently being developed by Chantiers de l’Atlantique and is destined to be the largest wind-powered cruise ship in the world, as well as cargo ships. The Aeoldrive rig, which comprises the SolidSail mast and sail, is fully automated. Its sprit can rotate 360 degrees and the masts can rotate or tilt 70 degrees to go under bridges. Read more…
06 December – Oceanbird moves into the next stage, or more accurately changes tack to bringing their extensive research into reality. We really like Mikael Razola, the Technical Director’s quote;
“We have created a lasting competence cluster, setting #Sweden up as one of the key players in what we like to call a shipping revolution. The journey has just begun!”
06 December – Event – The Wind for Goods Conference in June 2023 will bring together both international wind propulsion projects, cargo owners interested in moving their goods by wind and ship owners looking to reduce their emissions significantly through wind propulsion, the natural, zero-emissions solution for the shipping industry. If that sounds like an interesting option, then registration is now open for exhibitors. Read more…
06 December – The CHEK project is moving ahead, the final design of the BAR Technology WindWing has been completed and the automated software and control system solution for positioning of the WindWing according to the live local weather conditions is nearing completion. The WindWing is currently under manufacturing and assembly which will be ready for installation on the Kamsarmax bulker in Q1 2023. Read more…
05 December – New Airseas Video – For ten months now, the team has been conducting extensive sea trials of our automated kite, Seawing, on a vessel chartered by their customer Airbus. On board the Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) vessel Ville de Bordeaux. Watch here…
01 December – Presentation – IWSA Secretary General joined a wide range of expert speakers presenting papers on the scaling of decarbonisation solutions at the RINA conference on Scaling Decarbonisation Solutions – Reducing Emissions by 2030. His paper is entitled: Wind Propulsion Scalability: Opportunities & Challenges and highlights the growing momentum in the sector and discusses the early signs of scaling and the foundations of maturing in the market. Event Programme
November 2022
29 November – Good to see his announcement from TERNTANK with regard to their new order of two wind-assist ready, 15,000 dwt tankers from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard, Yangzhou. The new builds are designed by Kongsberg Maritime and to be delivered in spring 2025. Read more…
25 November – Conoship has begun the construction of their next generation short sea shipping vessel started at Gelibolu Shipyard in Turkey. This innovative, diesel-electric and wind-assist ready 3,600 dwt general cargo vessel is suited for sea-river operations. The ships are designed to take Econowind suction sails
Two more of these 3600 dwt vessels will be constructed by Holland Shipyards Group and they have also developed a 3,800 dwt variant of this vessel, of which three will also be built by Holland Shipyards Group. In addition, a 5,800 dwt new design concept is in development and will be brought to market soon. Read more…
24 November – Article: Wind propulsion in shipping: Where we stand
Along with other green alternatives, wind propulsion is gaining momentum as stricter environmental regulations -including CII, EEXI, FuelEU Maritime, EU ETS and the US Clean Shipping Act– are all entering into force in 2023. How is the wind propulsion landscape is expected to unfold in the coming months? Read more…
22 November – Research Paper: Interesting paper from Blue WASP on Flettner rotors with the addition of flaps to increase performance. This idea has been around for a while, but hopefully we will see this available commercially in the future. Read more…
21 November – Article: Shipping sector sets sail into ‘greener waters’ with wind energy
Shipping sector sets sail into ‘greener waters’ with wind energy
20 November: IWSA Asia Tour
IWSA Secretary General returned from a very productive three week trip to Asia with stops in Singapore, South Korea and Japan along with a series of virtual meetings in China. This trip has helped to highlight the growth in interest and activity underway in the region.
Installations – Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. has installed the first windchallenger rigs on the Shofu Maru and completed its maiden voyage to Newcastle, Australia and back. A second VLCC, the Aden has recently been launched by Dalian Shipbuilding Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. and China Merchants Energy Shipping in China and “K” line (Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd) and AIRSEAS are busy with their first kite installation. Dealfeng New Energy Technology rotorsails are preparing for their first installation in the first half of 2023, and we will also soon see units coming off the Yara Marine Technologies and BAR Technologies production line in China.
New Projects – Hand in hand with these, there are quite a few new projects under development. The University of Tokyo has established the MODE project along with numerous industry partners to assess installations, shipbuilders Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd , Samsung Heavy Industries, DSME CO., LTD, Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd., Jiangnan Shipbuilding (group) Co., Ltd. and Oshima Shipbuilding are all involved with the development of new wind propulsion projects. Marubeni Corporation has also announced a new installation project with bound4blue. ANEMOI has signed a collaboration agreement with COSCO SHIPPING Lines to supply their rotor sails.
Growing Engagement – we are also seeing growing interest across the region from government policy makers, research organisations, naval architect organisations, academia and crucially, shipowners in search of solutions for CII, EEXI and longer term zero-emissions energy options.
These developments are set to only grow further in the coming months and I look forward to returning to the region next year.
13 November – Wind Propulsion Seminar was held in Tokyo with over 100 attendees from across the shipping world including Japanese policy makers. Our Secretary General joined presenters from ClassNK, MOL, K-lines, Tokyo University and others for a very informative gathering and exciting to hear about all of the current developments and upcoming projects. Delighted to be delivering the key-note presentation at the “Development of Wind-Assisted Ship for Decarbonisation” seminar alongside Director Tamura from the Ocean Development and Environmental Policy Division in the Maritime Bureau of the Japanese Government.
Call for Abstracts for the International Academic Conference on Shipping, Sustainability & Solutions, to be held in Hamburg, Germany – March 2nd – 3rd, 2023.
Abstract deadline: 30 November (extended to 16th December).
This conference is being held by the Hapag-Lloyd Center for Shipping and Global Logistics (CSGL), Kühne Logistics University (KLU) and in conunction with the WASP project’s final conference. Read more…
11 November – Singapore TV Interview
CNA midday news, the leading Singapore TV station interviewed our Secretary General to coincide with the COP27 decarbonisation day as they wanted to broadcast our positive message of hope, of delivery and of momentum in the decarbonisation of shipping! Watch Video
10 November – New Member – We are pleased to announce that DNV Classification Society has joined IWSA as a new associate member. We look forward to working with the DNV team in developing the wind propulsion sector further over the coming years.
10 November – Agreement Announcement – bound4blue signs an agreement for the installation of four suction sails on the Panamax bulk carrier, Crimson Kingdom, which will be the first wind-assisted vessel owned by Marubeni in 2023/24.
09 November – Agreement Announcement – The Norwegian Ship Design Company will build two more wind-assist, rotor sail installed hydrogen vessels with the forward-leaning shipowner Halten Bulk in joint management with Egil Ulvan Rederi. Read more…
08 November – COP27 Address by King Tupou VI of Tonga
We encourage you to listen carefully to the eloquent address given at COP27 by his majesty King Tupou VI of Tonga. As the 3rd most climate change vulnerable country there are many challenges facing the people of these beautiful islands and the King highlights that one critical issue along with securing fresh water is the need for sustainable maritime transport and he calls for the “..use of cutting-edge technologies that promote wind-powered, low carbon emitting modes of transport.”
As an organisation, we stand ready to support these developments and we have already called on EU members to support the building of a fleet of these ships in solidarity with the peoples of the Pacific islands and other SIDs and LDCs. We hope that this important message resonates with the heads of states and industry gathered in Egypt and that ‘delivery’ is indeed at the top of the agenda.
October 2022
27 October – IWSA Asia Tour – Our Secretary General will be visiting Singapore, South Korea and Japan from 31 October – 20 November. He will be having meetings with key stakeholders in the region and IWSA members. We will also be holding two wind propulsion networking events, one in Singapore 03 Nov 1700-1830 and in Seoul 11 Nov 1700-1830, so if you would like to join us at either of these events, please contact secretary@wind-ship.org
The IWSA SG will also be delivering guest lectures at Nanyang Technical University and the University of Tokyo, and will be presenting at the Thrust and Kinematics Sub-Committee of Japan Society of Naval Architects event on 02 Nov, the first Global Conference on Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering (G-NAOE2022) conference in Changwon, South Korea on 07 Nov and at the ClassNK “Status of development of wind assisted propulsion vessel for the Decarbonisation era” seminar in Tokyo on 16 Nov.
27 October – IMO Wind Propulsion MEPC79/INF 21 Submission – The IWSA submission to IMO MEPC79 is now available from IMO Docs and downloadable MEPC 79-INF.21
This is an information document that aims to update IMO, national policy makers and industry stakeholders and to create a baseline to prepare the ground for further technical and regulatory submissions over the coming 12 months. This report was put together under the auspices of the European Sustainable Shipping Forum (ESSF) and is co-sponsored by Finland, France, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Union of Comoros and RINA. We would like to thank everyone involved for their input and feedback.
25 October – New Member – We are pleased to announce that RINA Classification Society has joined IWSA as a new associate member. We look forward to working with the RINA team in developing the wind propulsion sector further over the coming years.
Press Release: RINA Joins IWSA 25 Oct 2022
22 October – The Wind Propulsion Showroom – to be held on 17th November. SSPA invites ship owners and ship operators to a one-day event on Wind Propulsion in Gothenburg, Sweden. The event is specifically directed towards ship owners and operators who want to learn more about wind-assistance technology.
* In the morning, SSPA’s experts will present the latest regarding wind-powered ships and discuss how wind propulsion can help to improve fuel efficiency, EEXI ratings and CII values.
* In the afternoon, several reputable providers of wind-propulsion technologies will present their systems and be available for questions.
Among the attending providers are: Norsepower, Yara Marine, Alfawall Oceanbird, Anemoi, Ayro
If you represent a ship owner/operator and are interested to participate, please email: windevent2022@sspa.se
18 October – The European Parliament in Strasbourg are deliberating and votes on the FuelEU Maritime and EUETS. Three points to make:
Zero-emissions: These regulations will set a pathway towards zero-emissions (not just decarbonisation or net-zero), and that is needed before 2050 to align anywhere near of limiting global heating to 1.5C. That pathway needs ambition and the 5-yearly revision process can review that upwards. However, the industry is calling out for higher ambition at the start – give us the goal, the benchmarks and we will deliver. The wind propulsion amendments being tabled to increase the wind reward and identify direct wind power as a significant tool are important steps to help accelerate the scaling of the sector. These will be a key signal to industry and finance that we need to accelerate the process now.
Economy: This is absolutely vital too. Wind propulsion developments have already generated hundreds of jobs in the EU, tens of millions in investment and this is growing daily. A 2016 EU report estimated up to 20,000 jobs would be created installing systems on just 15% of the fleet by 2030. These jobs in shipyards and coastal communities that often struggle to attract direct investment, and would be a multi-billion euro market by the end of the decade. From a shipping industry perspective, the fuel savings alone from wind propulsion by 2050 delivered by a full rollout of wind propulsion across the fleet this decade would not only pay for itself (the only alternative propulsion energy source that can do that), but would also cover the EUR1.4-1.9 trillion required for full decarbonisation of the global fleet.
The Future: We all know that we need to do more. EU decisions will impact our deliberations at IMO level. ‘Fit for 55’ means reducing ghg emissions by 55% by 2030 in the EU, but that needs to be in all sectors and globally – we are far from this today. This goal needs to include all climate forcers and indirect GHG emissions. To reach this higher ambition, wind propulsion needs to be incorporated at the very heart of these efforts – a zero-emissions, benign energy source that is abundant, free and available globally today. If energy is delivered to a wind turbine, then electricity generated and used to create a gas/liquid which is then burned onboard a ship – that is designated a ‘fuel’ and receives well deserved incentives, govt support and scaled financial backing. If that same wind energy propels the ship directly it is designated as a ‘fuel efficiency measure’ and receives far less attention. These artificial, illogical and damaging designations are holding back the drive to zero-emissions, wasting time we can ill afford.
17 October – The White paper ‘Wind Propulsion for Ships‘ focused on wind propulsion developments in France is now available in English Download here
17-18 October – Wind Propulsion Photo Exhibition – EU Parliament welcomes the wind propulsion photo exhibition. We had a short presentation updating MEPs and staffers on developments in the sector and potential for growth just ahead of the votes on FuelEU Maritime.
13-14 October – OECD – Coastal Shipping Roundtable – IWSA Secretary general attended the International Transport Forum of the OECD discussing coastal shipping and decarbonisation which is a critical sector of shipping worldwide. Wind propulsion will need to be at the heart of the pathway to ensure a viable, resilient and economical transition.
12 October – IWSA joined the STEERER final event and sharing our visions for an optimised and decarbonised maritime network for the future. The work we have been doing in this project will help inform EU maritime policy, innovation and zero-emissions pathways going forward.
08 October – New Video – released covering the delivery of the the first Wind Challenger rig on the bulker Shofu Maru by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd.
4 October – Anemoi and COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry to offer full wind propulsion technology installation services – Anemoi Marine Technologies, a UK provider of Rotor Sails to the shipping industry, has reached an agreement with COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry Co (CHI), one of China’s major shipbuilding organisations. CHI has nine yards capable of up to 7.5m dwt annual production across all major vessel segments and a significant global customer base.
Anemoi and COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry to offer full wind propulsion technology installation services
02 October – New Website – OPTIWISE project has just launched their new website, where you can learn more about the ambitious technology and the wind propulsion concepts involved https://www.optiwise-project.eu/
September 2022
30 September – Funding Announcement – SubSeaSail announced that it received a $1.15 MM Dept. of Energy SBIR Phase II funding to continue the development of an affordable, easy-to-deploy, autonomous vessel for environmental monitoring & resource characterization around offshore energy installations.
29 September – Press release: Wind-powered cargo capacity breaks through 1m dwt mark
Wind propulsion has progressed from a perceived blue sky technology in the previous decade to gaining industry interest in recent years. The conversion of that interest into investment is now happening at a rapid pace, with large commercial vessels featuring wind-assisted propulsion passing the 1m dwt cargo carrying capacity mark. There are currently 21 large vessels with wind propulsion systems installed onboard and that number will likely grow to 25 (1.2m dwt) by the end of this year.
The passage of wind-powered ship propulsion through this key milestone coincides with the industry’s celebration of World Maritime Day, with the theme “New Technologies for Greener Shipping.” Read more…
29 September – Wind Propulsion Conference 2023 – The International Windship Association is delighted to be teaming up again with RINA to deliver the 3rd Wind Propulsion Conference on 16-17 February 2023. This will be held at the IMO headquarters in London this time.
This conference has a technical paper foundation as you might expect, but we will also have discussions on the key aspects of wind propulsion and the huge potential for decarbonising the fleet. This announcement serves as both a call for papers and a ‘save the date’ marker.
We are looking forward to receiving your abstracts and welcoming you on these information packed and impactful days too. Call for Abstracts
28 September – Container Vessel Design – Together with Zéphyr & Borée and Blue Wasp Marine, Groot Ship Design has arranged a project proposal for a 600-TEU container vessel utilising wind as dominant medium for propulsion. The project carrying the name Williwaw represents a design able to reduce CO2 emissions by at least fifty per cent compared to conventional ships. Read more…
27 September – TOWT‘s Sailing Cargo Ship: The first steel sheet of TOWT’s first modern sailing cargo ship has been cut following the order of two vessels from the PIRIOU shipyard This first step formally marks the beginning of the construction of this first unit, expected at the end of 2023; she will be followed by a sister-ship in spring 2024.
27 September – SeaTech 2022 – A full wind propulsion day at the SeaTech conference in Brest, Brittany focusing on the the regional, national and international developments in wind propulsion. Our Secretary General led the afternoon discussion panels focusing on wind-assist technologies, primary wind projects and also the small vessel sector.
26 September – MTE conference in Switzerland opened with a keynote presentation on the potential for wind propulsion in the racing world and concluded with an IWSA SG overview presentation of the wind propulsion momentum followed by a very interesting panel on commercial projects coming out of the racing technology world and lessons to be learned from there as we decarbonise shipping.
26 September – China launches new generation VLCC with rigid wing sails
China Classification Society (CCS) is hailing a major milestone after overseeing the delivery and naming ceremony of the first VLCC ever built in China deploying four x 40-metre rigid wing sails. The 307,000 DWT, 333 metre crude oil carrier M/V New Aden was built at Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co (DSIC) and the owner is China Merchants Energy Shipping (CMES). Read more…
25 September – New Member – We are delighted to announce the new member Steve Kozloff Designs The company has been developing and promoting wind assisted Mega yacht design concepts for the past several years and recently has produced a design for a flexible wind assisted 1000 TEU cargo ship, the G-Global.
22 September – WISP Project – Blue Route – The entire shipping industry is forced to deal with CO2 emission reduction, due to new rules and regulations (EEXI and CII) as from 2023. One way to do so is using wind propulsion. Hence the WiSP2 Joint industry project was started focussing on developing performance prediction methods for wind-assisted ships. As part of its earlier research into wind propulsion, MARIN already developed the prototype application BlueRoute, a public cloud based web service. https://blueroute.application.marin.nl/
19 September – Last Opportunity to Register for the 3rd Maritime Transport Efficiency Conference to be held in Geneva, 26-27 September. Our Secretary General will be presenting an update of wind propulsion and the opportunities this presents for decarbonising the shipping industry. IWSA is an official supporter of the conference – IWSA members can receive a 20% discount using the code ‘IWSA22’ – Register here
18 September – Employment Opportunities
SSPA – Senior Naval Architect with focus on Wind Powered Ships
Are you interested in developing a sustainable future? Do you want to work with exciting maritime projects? This is a unique opportunity to work together with researchers and experts at the international forefront of wind-assisted propulsion. SSPA/RISE are currently expanding our services for wind propulsion of ships and we are now looking for a new colleague with high competence within ship design and interests in the future of sustainable shipping. More details…
Computed Wing Sail (CWS) is currently recruiting and has 4 open positions:
– Composite engineer
– Industrial buyer
– Quality Engineer
– Mechatronics Engineer
15 September – Congratulations to Saillink, IWSA supporter starting it’s pilot cross-channel sail passenger service from Boulogne-Dover in preparation for a larger and permanent link . Read more…
13 September – Interview – IWSA Secretary general featured in last week’s AL Ahram Al Ektesadi (Ahram Economist) weekly talking about our favourite topic; wind propulsion, but also the message to COP27 to be held in Sharm El-Sheikh in November. That message is one of looking towards the lower hanging fruit of harnessing direct renewable energy coupled with operational changes and energy efficiency measures. This combination on Land and Sea will take us far down the decarbonisation route and those savings could effectively pay for the costs of rolling out the renewable energy generation infrastructure and storage we need to complete the job.
12 September – A Successful SMM Conference – we were delighted to be part of this event with 27 members exhibiting, 50+ attending and 8 presentations focused on wind propulsion developments. The welcoming ceremony on the Monday 5th included a theatre piece featuring wind-assist. Also great to see the backdrop of the GMEC conference was a wind propulsion one on the 7th and we made it onto the front page of SMM bulletin on the 8th. Read more – SMMDailyDay3
11 September – Upcoming Wind Propulsion Events
If you are interested in wind propulsion developments and want to get an update on the progress, discuss the issues and meet some of the leading projects involved then here are two key events to join
On 26 September at the 3rd Maritime Transport Efficiency Conference, Geneva our Secretary General will be presenting an update of wind propulsion and the opportunities this presents for decarbonising the shipping industry. IWSA is an official supporter of the conference – IWSA members can receive a 20% discount using the code ‘IWSA22’. Register here
On 27 September we will have a wind propulsion focused session at Sea Tech Week 2022, Brest Expo, France. There will be presentations from IWSA members, Brittany region etc. Organised by Technopôle Brest-Iroise in the framework of the Campus mondial de la mer, and supported by Brest metropole city council, Brittany Region and European Union (ERDF). More Details
06 September – Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) and DNV have signed an MOU to establish wind-assistance propulsion systems including rotor sails. Read more…
04 September – Very pleased to announce a new registered supporter, Syroco, a Marseille-based startup that develops a digital twin platform to optimise the energy efficiency of ships.
Syroco EfficientShip simulates accurately the behaviour of the ship on specific routes and conditions. It enables use cases that include: wind assistance efficiency prediction, fuel calculation, carbon emissions reduction, and even container loss prevention.
Join over 25 IWSA members at 6-9 September – SMM 2022, Hamburg, Germany, 6-9 September
IWSA is an official supporting organisation
Many IWSA members will have booths and attending this year’s event and a ‘wind route’ guide will be released in advance of the event to help you navigate those. Download: Wind Propulsion Route at SMM2022
04 September – Additional Upcoming Event at SMM
Peace Boat on the Cruise & Ferry Stage in Hall B5 on Thursday, 08 September from 11:00 – 12:00.
“Peace Boat’s Ecoship – towards a zero emissions cruise ship”
Peace Boat’s Ecoship is a transformational programme by Japan’s largest cruise organization to build the world’s most sustainable cruise ship. This session will introduce the project’s progress, including the presentation of new visuals on the project. In exploring perspectives on Peace Boat’s ambition to go further towards a fully zero emission large cruise vessel, IWSA (The International Windship Association) will look at the potential for large-scale wind-powered passenger vessels. Event Details
02 September – Listening to the Wind Interview – Vaisala
Mikko Nikkanen & Timo Kerola from Vaisala sit down with our Secretary General, Gavin Allwright for this latest interview, talking wind measurement and sensing technologies supporting the development, usage and optimization of wind propulsion systems.
02 September – Climate-neutral Sail Cargo Vessel for the Marshall Islands
As part of an international climate protection project with the participation of the Hochschule Emden/Leer, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH has commissioned the construction of a new island supplier with sail propulsion for a largely climate-neutral ship operation. The construction contract was concluded with the ship design office Kostec Co. Ltd. and the shipyard SHIPBUILDING ASIA LTD in Korea. The new building, which is around 48 metres long, will have a load capacity of around 290 tdw (tons dead weight) with a measurement of around 460 GT (gross tonnage). In addition to the transport task, the ship will also be used for seafaring training. For this purpose, accommodation for six trainees is planned, who are to be trained in particular for environmentally friendly and climate-friendly ship operation.
The sail area of the three-master will be around 500 square meters. The power supply for the auxiliary operation is also to be provided by renewable energy via photovoltaics, small wind turbines and a shaft generator. A small diesel engine will be used for manoeuvring and driving in unfavorable wind conditions. In the future, a switch to coconut-based biodiesel should be possible.
The further project plan envisages the laying of the keel in March 2023 and the delivery including an intensive testing and training programme for autumn 2023. Read more…
Small island developing states (SIDS) are often at the nexus of the climate, energy, food and water security, logistics and economic crisis that currently blight our world. In these cases, especially those in the Pacific, primary wind powered vessel also find a natural niche at that nexus too:
(i) Climate – these countries contribute virtually no GHGs, but are heavily impacted. Thus having a resilient, independent and low cost heavy lift capability is vital. Direct use of wind power is lowered impact still. (ii) Energy – liquid energy for shipping is hugely expensive as SIDS are often at the ends of supply chains and must pay using hard currency, with purchasing power parity many times higher than developed countries. Not so for abundant, zero cost direct wind power. (iii) Logistics – when shipping is not available, their is no fuel or spare parts need to be flown in then interisland travel grounds to a halt. Wind is a simple and elegant way to keep things moving that can be repaired and maintained locally.
(iv) Economics – Long distances, low population density, low trade volumes, high and volatile energy prices are all a toxic mix for making a resilient regional shipping network. Wind is a key factor for unlocking that conundrum. (v) Food and Water Security – anchored in all of these issues, having ships that aren’t fuel thirsty release funds for development of these basic needs, helps provide a stable trading network enabling farmers and local authorities invest more with the knowledge that value added surplus can be traded are all key to improved security.
Also creates beneficial cycles around opportunity/aspiration, revitalising regional shipyards , jobs, seafarer training and much more. Wind propulsion provides an important element in levelling the playing field.
02 September – Article: How to balance trade-offs when decarbonising the shipping industry
Christiaan De Beukelaer states: “The most promising technological improvement to ships is to harness the wind aboard ships for direct (assistance with) propulsion. Retrofitting existing (and designing new) ships to embrace the millennia-old technology that never required burning fossil fuels should a top priority.”
Looking forward to the book release in January! Read more…
02 September: Tradewinds Article: Berge Bulk wants ‘to get hands dirty’ testing various wind sails on its ships – Singapore-based bulker owner next year will install WindWings sails developed by BAR Technologies and rotor sails built by Anemoi Marine Technologies
Great to see that Berge Bulk is committed to installing numerous types of wind propulsion system and this is a major contribution to the further development of these wind-assist technologies. We look forward to seeing further demonstrator vessels and meeting the team there during our Asia tour in November. Read more…
01 September – Maritime Press (Kaiji Press) – Interview with IWSA Secretary General
For our Japanese members and speakers, please find the latest interview with our Secretary General, Gavin Allwright attached. He discusses the surging interest in wind propulsion solutions and the interview goes alongside a list of installations made to date, which is likely to double within the next 12 months.
The pdf was supplied courtesy of Maritime Press (Kaiji Press) Download here (Japanese)
01 September – Brittany Region – Wind Propulsion Report
Here is the comprehensive overview of Wind Propulsion for Shipping developments in Brittany, France. It maps out a growing network of projects, companies and initiatives in the field. The report can also be downloaded or read online.
As Bretagne Développement Innovation states: “the “wind propulsion of ships” sector relies on the expertise of naval, nautical and competitive sailing companies. It meets several objectives: the need to design and develop new technological solutions in propulsion modes to meet the strategy adopted in 2018 by the International Maritime Organisation, the desire of the Brittany Region to include the territory in the ecological transition through the Breizh Cop, its “low-carbon mobility” roadmap and the regional research and innovation strategy. “
If you would like to get further insights and meet some of the key players in the region, join us in Brest on 27 September for the dedicated Wind Propulsion session of Sea Tech Week®
01 September – Hoisting the Sail Podcast
In this new episode, our guest, Benoit BAISLE DAILLIEZ, initiative leader for WISAMO by Michelin, explains how the giant tires manufacturer came to develop a solution suitable to any vessels, and more particularly cargo ships (new or existing). Listen here
August 2022
31 August – Press Release – Technology solutions that enable cargo ship operators to harness the power of the wind as a renewable energy source will have a larger footprint than ever before at the SMM trade fair in Hamburg next week. A status welcomed by the International Windship Association. Read more…
30 August – TOWT announces second vessel build – Congratulations to the TOWT team on placing their second order of their 80m, 1,100 dwt primary wind general cargo vessel design. Another big step forward for the company and for the case for wind powered trading vessels – bravo! Read more…
29 August – Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd has acquired design approval for its Hi-Rotor, in-house designed rotor sail system from the Korean Register. The Hi-Rotor is said to use a reduction gear method to connect the motor with the rotor. Read more…
28 August – Wind propulsion makes it on to CNBC, which highlights some of the current technologies and developments, but it also widens the show to ‘Wind Energy’ in general, which will also provide much of the green renewable energy required for alternative fuels and batteries – a wind driven future for shipping! Read more…
27 August – Small Scale Sail Freight Conference (05 November, USA)
The Hudson River Maritime Museum, The Schooner Apollonia, and The Center For Post Carbon Logistics will be hosting a conference on small scale sail freight on inland and coastal waters on 5 November 2022 at the Hudson River Maritime Museum. This conference will address the practical challenges of current inland and coastal sail freight projects, and then move into a discussion of next steps for promoting and expanding the use of sail freight in the Hudson Valley and New England. Featuring speakers from around the world as well as the Hudson River Valley, the goal of the conference is to increase awareness and education about current and future small-scale sail freight projects and overcoming the challenges to their implementation.
Presentations are grouped into two sessions, with each set of speakers followed by a discussion panel
Register Now
Session 1: Practicalities
– Finding Cargo For Sail Freight.
– Zero Carbon First & Last Mile Transportation.
– Docking, Cargo Handling & Engine Use: Practical Challenges for the small Sail Freighter.
– Rondout Riverport 2040, A Small Ports Toolkit For A Carbon Constrained Future.
Session 2: Next Steps
– Ship Shares, Patient Venture Capital Investment, and Community Supported Shipping (CSS)
– Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Opportunities Within A Reemerging Industry.
– Scaling Sail Freight: An Open Access Model For Climate Crisis Response.
Final Schedule and Registration Details will be published in Late August 2022.
Registration is $50 for Non-Members, $45 for Members.
This conference will be held in person at the Hudson River Maritime Museum.
Sponsored in part by the Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area.
26 August: Article featuring Wind Propulsion: US Global Investors
US Global Investors, investor alert states among other things: “As for shipping, wind propulsion is being touted as the “most impactful emissions reduction technology.” Today, 21 large ocean-going vessels already have wind-assist systems installed, according to the International Windship Association (IWSA), and by the end of 2023, this number could jump to nearly 50. Some of the biggest names in maritime shipping are involved in investing millions of dollars into wind propulsion technology, including Cargill, Maersk and Mitsui. The IWSA calls the 2020s the “Decade of Wind Propulsion.”
We of course agree with this statement, as we agreed with Bloomberg the day before, all building on the Economist and Financial Times articles in January that placed wind propulsion as a ‘surging’ technology sector and ‘one to watch’ for 2022 and beyond.
Abundant, globally available, pure clean zero-emissions energy, delivered free of charge to the point of use without the need for mining, refining, transporting, bunkering or storing – what’s not to like!
Read more…
24 August – Bloomberg article highlights some key reasons why wind propulsion in commercial shipping is resurgent and being driven by pending regulation, the need to decarbonise quickly and the high fuel prices today and for the future zero-emissions fuels, that while vital too, will take decades to be widely available and affordable worldwide.
Njord, the green tech solution set up in 2019 by Cargill, Mitsui & Co., Ltd. & Maersk Tankers is currently screening 12 ships for wind power solutions, which can be combined with other tools to increase efficiency. “There are solutions that can be implemented now that the industry’s not embracing,” says Frederik Pind its managing director. “We can’t just wait for the new green fuels. We need to decarbonize now.” Read more…
24 August – Press release: Bolloré Logistics ́ has announced joining the Shippers’ Coalition for Low Carbon Maritime Transport, representing shippers whose goal is to encourage the industrial use of alternative propulsion solutions, such as wind-assisted propulsion.
“Through this membership, Bolloré Logistics is providing its support to solutions that use wind-assisted propulsion, which drastically reduces CO2 emissions. ” Read more…
23 August – Article: Harnessing wind power for shipping looks promising
Four International Windship Association members feature in this Singapore Business Times article, each with different technologies, at different development stages with BAR Technologies and Yara Marine Technologies, Smart Green Shipping and with SailLink at a different scale. Read more…
23 August – Press Release – Jiangnan Shipbuilding unveils smart sail design
As interest in wind propulsion surges, Jiangnan Shipbuilding (group) Co., Ltd. have launched their self-designed rigid sail system, the Jiangnan Smart Sail. Read more…
18 August – Washington Post Article –Three International Windship Association members, Oceanbird, AIRSEAS and SAILCARGO INC. are featured in this The Washington Post article, each coming from a different approach to wind propulsion. The common thread other than using wind on ships is that this energy source is a vital, viable, safe and abundantly available zero-emissions source that can be harnessed effectively using today’s technology basket. Read more…
18 August – Norsepower is delivering a Rotor Sail onboard two new vessels commissioned by Northern Lights JV and built by Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co. Ltd. The vessels will be equipped with other clean tech solutions, such as air lubrication, in addition to Norsepower’s wind-assisted propulsion system. This use of complementary clean technology solutions will offer maximum impact, improving fuel savings while reducing associated costs and emissions. Read more…
17 August – Listening to the Wind Interview: Marcus Schormann, founder of Schormann Maritima, sits down with IWSA Secretary General Gavin Allwright, talking about the business he established in 1996 to develop alternative ships propulsion systems, mainly based on wind-for-propulsion via conventional sails. Watch here
16 August – Wind Propulsion Lead Article – Very pleased to see our Secretary General’s article featured in the inaugural edition of the The Maritime Economy Publications, there is a lot going on in the shipping decarbonisation world with alternative fuels in the limelight much of the time, however there is a strong urge of projects, newbuilds and retrofits featuring wind. I go into some of the drivers here, but the main one is the realisation that a pure, zero-emissions energy source that is delivered directly to the ship at the point of use for free, forever is one that shipping is uniquely placed to harvest and can do with technologies available today. Read more…
15 August – AYRO has received the “2022 TEM price” – Maritime Energy Transition rewarding the Oceanwings® tech and the Canopee project as the “best maritime energy transition solution and for AYRO’s significant contribution to the decarbonization of maritime transport.”
Congratulations to all of the team, and the real prize for shipping will be the increased recognition of your wind propulsion solution and the ramping up of future installations – BRAVO on all fronts!
10 August: Confirmation of the contract signed between Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. and Enviva for the building of a second bulker featuring the Wind Challenger rig. Congratulations to all involved and we are looking forward to further announcements in the coming months as the momentum continues to grow for wind propulsion. Read more…
10 August – BHP, Pan Pacific Copper and Norsepower partner to harness the power of wind-assisted propulsion
M/V Koryu, a combination carrier operated by Nippon Marine – a member of SENKO group (shares held by SENKO 60%, JX Nippon Mining & Metals 40%). BHP and PPC have multi-year agreements for delivery of copper concentrates from Chile to Japan as well as sulphuric acid from Japan to Chile, making the cargo capacity utilization of M/V Koryu (a 53,762 deadweight tonne combination carrier) one of the highest in the industry. scheduled for completion by the third quarter of 2023. Read more…
08 August – IWSA Asia Tour – “SAVE THE DATES”
IWSA will be organising a series of events, seminars and meetings throughout Asia in late October and November. Stops will include Singapore, Korea, Japan and China. We will be announcing further details in mid-September and both our Secretary general and our members in the region will be delighted to meet you in person there. If you would like to work with us to set up a meeting or event, then please send an email to admin@wind-ship.org
08 August – Announcement: New partnership advances wind propulsion for ships
Two maritime energy companies, GT Green Technologies and Pei Tech, have announced a new partnership to create technology-based solutions that combine the most promising developments in green propulsion, benefiting global shipping operations. Read more…
06 August – Using CFD to enhance the energy efficiency of new and existing commercial shipping vessels (Siemens)
Detailed CFD work being done by Cape Horn Engineering Ltd. for vessels with wind propulsion systems, this work is important as we move forward and optimise the systems and their deployment on such a varied fleet. Read more…
04 August Article: SKYTUG: Primary Wind Propulsion for All Ships
Full power wind propulsion will soon be available to existing ships. A bold and surprising statement, perhaps, but one which I believe to be true. SKYTUG, which is being developed by my company, Bluewater Engineering, is a wind propulsion concept with a novel twist – the sails aren’t attached to the ship. Read more…
Upcoming Event – 17-18 November – 11th Green Shiptech China Congress 2022, Shanghai
IWSA is an official supporter of this year’s congress and for more information on the conference agenda and registration download Agenda-Green Shiptech China Congress 2022
04 August – Joint Study Announcement – This joint study has just been announced relating to the application of wind propulsion on vessels and the optimisation of hull design. Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. along with MOL Tech-Trade (MOLTT), Tokai University and Akishima Laboratories will look at applying aerospace engineering technologies to advance the earlier developed Ishin ship design and further cut emissions. Read more…
03 August – Presentation – IWSA Secretary General to present a paper on scaling wind propulsion solutions at the Royal Institution of Naval Architects “Scaling Decarbonisation Solutions Conference”– Reducing Emissions by 2030.’ conference in Rotterdam 29 Nov – 01 Dec this year.
What will be your scalable solution for this decade? The social demand for an environmentally conscious transition of sea trade is encouraging ship owners and regulators to take on this challenge with technical and operational solutions to meet the environmental goals.
To further investigate The Royal Institution of Naval Architects and Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping (MMMCZCS) have partnered to offer a conference that will provide a platform to discuss the scalability of current technologies and policies that will transform the shipping industry.
Wind Propulsion Scalability: Opportunities & Challenges
International Windship Association: Wind-assist are entering the market now and large primary wind vessels will soon be following. The pace of uptake is starting to accelerate, however what will a wind powered fleet look like and what are the challenges and opportunities as this is scaled. This paper will present an analysis of these areas, with primary data taken from the IWSA members survey and industry /policy makers questionnaire results. The paper will also focus on specific segments of fleet as case studies of the impact of incorporating wind and operational adjustments on decarbonisation, including speed, weather routing and the adoption of wind-centered green corridors.
03 August – AiP Granted for Suction Wing SW270 – Congratulations to the CRAIN team on receiving the AiP from Bureau Veritas Group for the Suction Wing SW270. Really looking forward to the commercial installation stages to come. Read more…
02 August **SAVE THE DATE** If you are coming to SMM in Hamburg (6-9 September) and you have time on Wednesday 7th September and would like to hear more about the WASP project, the wind-assist technologies installed, performance results and discuss how to scale the wind-assist technology segment further, please join us. The all day event will be free to join [just need to pay the small entry fee to SMM itself]
More details (agenda, room number) will be posted soon – see you there!!!
July 2022
28 July – Project Announcement – Smart Green Shipping (SGS) – Three-year project backed by the Scottish Government and industry will develop and test fully automated, emission-reduction sail technology that can be retrofitted to merchant ships
Collaborative three-year R&D project brings together major industry players including Malin, Drax, Peel Ports and Lloyd’s Register
The wind technology project will deliver a demonstrator on a commercial ship by 2023
Smart Green Shipping’s FastRig automated sail technology is compatible with up to 40,000 ships currently operating in the merchant fleet and can deliver at least 20% fuel savings and associated GHG reductions
Lloyds Register has granted 1st stage Approval in Principle for FastRig technology
Smart Green Shipping (SGS) has today launched a £5m research and development project for its fully automated FastRigs wing sail technology and digital routing software that will harness the power of wind to deliver major fuel and emissions savings for the shipping industry. The collaborative three-year programme has been made possible by a £3.2m investment from the private sector, which unlocked a further £1.8m grant from Scottish Enterprise. Read more…
28 July – Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. has announced the successful test deployment of a Metro Weather’s Doppler Lidar on the experimental yacht used as the first stage of their Wind Hunter Project
It successfully measured real-time and 3-D wind conditions within a 15km radius while underway. This compact unit gives a more accurate wind picture than satellite weather forecasts and once integrated could help optimise the operations of wind propulsion technologies. Read more…
25 July – Video from Vaisala on their Lidar technology and wind propulsion systems, helping to optimise installations and driving the sector forward. Wind assisted vessels: The future of cleaner shipping. Watch here
23 July – IWSA Newsletter Open Release
The IWSA Newsletter from May 2022 is now on open release. May 2022 Newsletter
If you would like to receive the newsletter directly when it is released (2 or 3 times a year) that is packed with news of installations, orders, project updates, new partnerships, upcoming events and policy news, then please send an email to secretary@wind-ship.org or sign up on our campaign site: www.decadeofwindpropulsion.org
Back issues can be downloaded here:
December 2021 Newsletter
April 2021 Newsletter
October 2020 Newsletter
April 2020 Newsletter
December 2019 Newsletter
July 2019 Newsletter
February 2019 Newsletter
October 2018 Newsletter
22 July – Zephyr & Boree designs chosen for new low emissions containerised lines.
Congratulations to our member Zéphyr & Borée on being chosen by this cargo coalition for these two containerised lines. Looking forward to seeing the project develop as we move towards 2025. Read more…
22 July – First Wind Challenger Rig installed in Japan
Congratulations to another of our Japan-based members, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. a key moment for all of the Windchallenger team with the installation onto this 99,000dwt bulker at the Oshima shipyard. We look forward to following the commissioning stage and future installations too.
20 July – Three additional Seawing kites ordered
IWSA members “K” line (Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd) and Airseas for this additional order of three Seawing kites, which brings to five vessels to be outfitted with the automated system. We look forward to seeing these vessels in operation in the not too distant future. Read more…
19 July – Article: “Owners drawn to wind-assist technology amid high fuel prices: Wind technology is proving popular as a way of seeing tangible fuel savings and a cut in emissions now while zero-emission fuels are still being developed.”
This Lloyd’s List article focuses on the fact that shipowners are being increasingly drawn to wind propulsion technology amid high fuel prices. This level of engagement signals not just a short term upswing in interest in wind-assist technologies due to current fuel price pressure, but a sustained engagement for numerous shipowners with wind propulsion development and a move towards a basket of resilient solutions that can meet the decarbonisation challenge we are facing in this decade. Wind propulsion systems are fully compatible with whatever alternative fuels choices are made in the coming decades and hold the potential to shift the shipping industry into a pioneering decarbonisation position, with this free energy source actually covering those costs through fuel savings as we move forward. Read more…
16 July: Listening to the Wind Interview
In the latest instalment of “Listening to the Wind”. Ted Shergalis, Co-founder and COO of US-based Magnuss talks about their unique take on rotor technology, discusses market developments and opportunities along with drivers and barriers the rollout of wind propulsion technologies going forward. Watch here
14 July: Northern maritime sector wants to become a global player for ‘green’ ships
A Dutch-based consortium of 21 shipping companies, shipyards, suppliers, laboratories, colleges and led by Conoship International and the University of Groningen will receive an initial European subsidy of 1.4 million euros for the development of an initiative aiming to be at the forefront of the transition to large-scale zero-emissions shipping and digitized shipbuilding – including integration of wind propulsion, Econowind, batteries, alternative fuels etc. Read more…
13 July: Berge Bulk vessels to receive Anemoi Rotor Sails in its move towards a zero-emission fleet
Congratulations to the teams at ANEMOI and Berge Bulk for this further announcement of rollout of rotor sails across their fleet. Two ships, a 388,000 dwt Valemax ore carrier and a 210k dwt Newcastlemax bulker have been made ‘wind-ready’ during regular yard slots and each will receive 4 tilting rotor sail installations. Read more…
13 July – Emirates Global Aluminium, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha partner to decarbonise bulk cargo shipping
The partnership will involve the development and implementation of new marine decarbonisation technologies suitable for EGA’s bulk cargo shipping routes, including Airseas kite systems. Read more…
12 July: MOL Drybulk, Drax target reduced biomass shipping emissions with wind power tech
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. and Drax Group plan to facilitate the development of wind-powered vessels to transport bulk cargoes of Drax’s wood pellets to its customers in Japan. Read more…
09 July: SSPA announce new Wind Propulsion Service
“In response to rapidly growing demand, SSPA expands its services in maritime wind propulsion and introduces the new business segment “Wind-Powered Ships”.
These are words we are always delighted to hear and we wish the highly competent team at SSPA all the best with this significant move. Read more…
June 2002
29 June: Berge Bulk, BAR Technologies, and Yara Marine Technologies Announce New Installation Agreement
This agreement is to install four BARTech WindWings by Yara Marine Technologies (WindWings) onboard the 210 DWT bulk carrier Berge Olympus. Congratulations to Berge Bulk, BAR Technologies and Yara Marine Technologies on this agreement to install four rigs next year, a great announcement for all involved and another significant step forward for wind-assist propulsion. Read more…
29 June: Launch Announcement: Launching of the boat hull of the new ship Canopée specially designed to deliver the Ariane 6 rocket parts to Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. This took place in Stettin, Poland, where Canopée is currently being built by Alizés, and a joint venture between Jifmar Offshore Services and Zéphyr & Borée. The vessel was designed by VPLP and will be equipped with four wing sails from AYRO over the next few months: Watch Video
27 June: Knud E. Hansen joins project to design world’s Oceanbird wind-powered RoRo
Very good to see KNUD E. HANSEN bringing their expertise to the development of wind propulsion solutions in the Oceanbird project. Their detailed analysis of windship design in the early 2000’s was an important milestone for wind-assist potential and highlighted technical and business model areas needing attention at the time. Read more…
27 June – 01 July UN Ocean Conference
28 June: Side Event – Joining the dots between sustainable maritime logistics and planetary boundaries
We had a very frank and productive panel discussion at the UN Ocean Conference on the climate and ocean impacts of shipping and the solutions and pathways that we have available to engineer the change that we need to see in the industry. True costs of fuel and infrastructure, higher ambition, collaboration, protection and incentivisation of first movers, early adopters, just transition and so on.
The side event was attended by the RH, crown princess Victoria of Sweden, Ministers from Finland and Sweden, and other Distinguished Guests and contributors, we came to the conclusion that:
* The industry agrees that we need to act now
* Multiple enablers need to be put in place in combination
* Everybody needs to contribute with his/her share
* Put a price on carbon emission
* Establish COALITIONS of the DARING
* Question what, how, and why we ship
* Ensure that predictable regulative frameworks are established
This event was organized by the Governments of Finland and Sweden, Seas at Risk, Ocean Care, Clean Shipping Coalition, Clean Arctic Alliance together with the Technical Research Center of Finland (VTT) and Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE) and IWSA.
24 June: Announcement from Cargill in support of Wind Propulsion
“Cargill could retrofit five to 10 ships for wind but newbuilds are the ‘game-changer’.” Cargill Ocean Transportation president Jan Dieleman, who leads the shipping division of US commodities giant Cargill, pointed to even greater promise in using the technology in new buildings that have been optimised for wind power.
We would certainly agree that while we need to retrofit as many ships as possible to extend the carbon budget and bring down fuel/emissions quickly, when you are able to optimise all of the design aspects of the vessel in relation to maximising the wind potential then really significant gains can be made – a ‘game-changer’ indeed. Read more…
23 June: IMO-CARES Webinar
IWSA Secretary General presented at the International Maritime Organization IMO CARES project’s first workshop yesterday, hosted by the great team at MTTC Caribbean Vivian Rambarath-Parasram and Captain Sukhjit Singh AFNI. We discussed the R&D pipeline and the project development set up by Dr. Jose Matheickal’s hardworking team and the foundation stage is generously sponsored by RSA Eng. Essam M ALAMMARI. There was a swathe of excellent expert presentations from both fuel and non-fuel tech proponents and the project will help to convene and facilitate decarbonisation pilot and demonstrator projects in developing countries, something that aligns with many of International Windship Association members activities and important to ensure a fairer transition process going forward. We are looking forward to working together with the IMO CARES team and MTTCs to deliver on projects tailored for the regions and developed hand in hand with the communities and stakeholders they will be servicing and impacting. Read more…
22 June: EU ETS Vote in EU Parliament
A decisive vote on EU ETS and support for the adoption of the Ocean Fund, where 75% of revenue raised will go towards maritime decarbonisation efforts There is still some way to go in the negotiations, a few more road bumps are likely but forward momentum nonetheless. Read more…
21 June: First Deployment of BAR Tech WindWings
Cargill, Mitsubishi Corporation, BAR Technologies (BAR Tech) and Yara Marine Technologies (Yara Marine) announced Mitsubishi Corporation’s Pyxis Ocean as the first vessel to undergo installation and deployment of BAR Tech’s wind propulsion technology WindWings, delivered by industrialization partner Yara Marine. Read more…
15 June: AiP Granted for New Bulker Design
Lloyd’s Register has granted an AiP showing 29% reduction on EEDI for SDARI designed Oldendorff Newcastlemax with Anemoi Rotor Sails. Read more…
14 June: Installation of Suction Wing System
Another installation of the eConowind ventifoil system on Vertom’s MV Anna, a 5,000dwt general cargo vessel. The twin 16m foils were installed in Rotterdam and this is the fourth ventifoil installed vessel.
13 June: Optiwise HORIZON Project launches with the aim to holistically improve design and control of commercial ships with wind propulsion.
The EU has granted funding for the Optiwise HORIZON Project, looking at how up to three different wind propulsion systems installed on a single ship could derive significant energy savings. Congratulations to the team and looking forward to helping disseminating the results!
Partners Partners working together in this MARIN coordinated project are Core IC, SSPA, AYRO, Chantiers de l’Atlantique, Flikkema Innovation Management & Consultancy, Wärtsilä Netherlands, Università degli Studi di Genova, Euronav, Anemoi Marine (associated partner using British funding) and MARIN.
13-15 June Blue Week, SS Rotterdam
The annual Natural Propulsion seminar was held onboard the SS Rotterdam and as with past years this was a great opportunity to get insights into new wind propulsion projects and developments. The presentation links are available from: https://blueforum.org/restricted-content/
IWSA also held it’s quarterly members meeting on the Tuesday morning with over 30 members in attendance physically and the same number virtually. This was then followed by a WASP project workshop on finance and then many members broke into project groups or attended the zero-emissions shipping session. IWSA’s participation was capped with a presentation by Gavin Allwright, Secretary General during the joint forum on Wednesday, discussing alignments and collaboration across decarbonisation sectors.
8 June: UN OCEAN DAY
IWSA Secretary: There is need for all zero-emissions energy provision to vessels to be treated equally
The rising tide of renewable energy deployment needs to lift all ships, or more precisely ‘all energy sources’. The high tide of decarbonisation will be a huge challenge for the entire industry, thus it is critical to use every tool we have available, especially those that are deployable immediately, such as wind propulsion systems. Read more…
07 June: MEPC78 at International Maritime Organization starts today, sandwiched in between World Environment Day 2022 yesterday with the theme of ‘Only One Earth’ and World Oceans Day, on the 8th June, with the theme of ‘Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean’. While these slogans can often be dismissed as platitudes, I think we all need to reflect on the severity and urgency of the situation, as our final window for action to avert 1.5c global heating draws to a close.
We have the tools, skills and knowledge to do the job in shipping, we just need to match that with the level of ambition to eliminate carbon, all climate forcing emissions this decade and for shipping to step forward as a climate pioneer. We stand ready, as wind propulsion advocates to play our part in delivering on that ambition.
02 June – Upcoming Events – If you are interested in learning more about wind propulsion, it’s potential and how it can integrate into the decarbonisation of the shipping industry, then June is shaping up to be a pretty busy month in Europe.
06-10 June – Posidonia, (Greece) – 07 June – Wind Assisted Propulsion in Shipping seminar
13-17 June – Blueweek (Rotterdam)
13 June – Natural Propulsion Seminar
14 June – IWSA members meeting
14 June – WASP hybrid seminar/webinar on financial tools
15 June – Renewable Energy Forum
21 June – European Parliament (EP) Intergroup Webinar on ‘Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development in preparation for the UN Ocean Conference, featuring wind propulsion presentation
21 June – Electric Hybrid Conference (Amsterdam) – Hybrid Wind Propulsion Seminar
22 June – 3rd Decarbonizing Shipping Forum (Hamburg) – IWSA presentation
27 June -01 July – UN Ocean Conference (Lisbon) – IWSA Booth and presentations
More details on these events (and others), along with IWSA members discounts etc., visit our Maritime Events page https://www.wind-ship.org/en/maritime-events/
01 June – Listening to the Wind Interview – Interview with Amaury Bolvin, COO and co-founder at Zephyr & Boree, introducing their latest wind propulsion vessel designs and discussing their vision for a wind-powered fleet of the future and what challenges we need need to meet to make that a reality. Watch here
May 2022
24 May – Installation Order Announced – eConowind and Vertom Shipping have announced their collaboration to install a new version of the wind-assist suction wings, called the VentoFoil. Units will be installed on the two general cargo vessels MV Progress and MV Perfect, making it the first fleet order for Econowind. Read more…
21 May – IWSA Collaboration Announcement – IWSA is very pleased to announce our new collaboration with the high quality, peer reviewed Journal of Sailing Technology, edited by SNAME.
Call for Papers: INNOV’SAIL 2023, the sixth conference in the series, to be held in Lorient, France, 7-9 June 2023.
Papers are invited on the various topics from the commercial wind sector to be covered by the conference. Note that the topics apply to yacht racing as well as wind-assisted ships.
Abstracts of no more than 400 words and 2 pages should be sent to editor.innovsail@citevoile-tabarly.com by 17
October 2022. Notification of acceptance will be given by 10 December 2022. Full papers of accepted abstracts
will be due by 20 February 2023. For more information Innov’sail 2023
20 May – Collaboration Announcement – A third collaboration announced this week between our members Mitsui OSK Lines and Anemoi Marine Technologies, with the first hybrid, twin wind solution installed vessel, featuring MOL’s Wind Challenger rigid wing system combined with a number of Anemoi’s Rotor Sails, with the bulker vessel scheduled for delivery in 2024. Read more…
19 May – Collaboration Announcement – Great to see another two of our members collaborating, with NEOLINE choosing the “Solid Sail” solution from Chantiers de l’Atlantique for their Neoliner RoRo vessels that will soon be under construction. Read more…
17 May – Installation Announcement – Norsepower has installed one of their 30m Rotor Sails on a second Scandlines hybrid ferry, the MV Berlin, following successful results achieved on the sister vessel, the MV Copenhagen
Read more…
16 May – Collaboration Announcement – Two IWSA members have announced a collaboration, with Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) to equip one of its vessels with three of bound4blue’s eSAIL® systems in 2023. More details on the selected vessel and installation to come. Read more…
14 May – WASP project Webinar on 31 May – Discussing Policy and Should Policy Makers Incentivise the Uptake of Wind Propulsion – check out the event details here
11 May – ABBA Supports Wind Propulsion – the Swedish developer of the Oceanbird concept, has been confirmed as the official partner for ABBA Voyage, the revolutionary new concert opening in London, late May, where ABBA will perform as digital avatars. “It is extremely pleasing to be able to make it all happen in partnership with Wallenius, who are as keen on sustainability as we are,” says ABBA member Benny Andersson. Read more… Watch video
10 May – Danish Shipping hosted the EU WASP project conference where the preliminary results from a new set of sea trials from multiple vessels with installed wind propulsion technologies were presented. The event held a set of lively discussions on those results, the benefits of wind propulsion technologies and these should be further promoted in the EU and worldwide.
05 May – Partnership Announcement – IWSA is delighted to announce the signing of our coalition partnership with the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD). GCMD was formed in 2021 with funding from the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and six founding partners: BHP, BW, DNV Foundation, Eastern Pacific Shipping, Ocean Network Express and Sembcorp Marine. It’s mission is to help the maritime industry reduce its carbon emissions
as quickly as possible by shaping standards, deploying solutions, financing projects, and fostering collaboration across sectors. We are looking forward to working closely with GCMD in knowledge exchange and in bringing more pilot projects into the market, validating those technologies and vessels and laying the groundwork for further rapid and extensive scaling of wind propulsion solutions going forward. Read more…
02 May – Listening to the Wind – HSVA Interview with Jan Lassen and Jorg Brunswig, the core developers of EcoLibrium at HSVA, we discuss the modular software solution that provides a deeper insight into the operation of sail-assisted ships and supporting their design and the wider design implications of wind propulsion in commercial shipping. Watch here
April 2022
28 April – Oceanbird New Sail Design – The Oceanbird designers have adopted a new wing sail design. The wing consists of a core and a flap, optimizing the aerodynamics forces. It is half the size but shows the same performance as the previous design, allowing a smaller footprint: both environmental and on deck. Instead of a telescopic solution to allow the vessel to pass under bridges and reduce the power in hard weather, the new wing can be folded and tilted. Read more…
25 April – Welcome to New Members
We are very pleased to welcome our new members to the association and we are looking forward to working together to build a sustainable, wind-powered future for commercial shipping.
Insensys (UK) – Full Member
Sumitomo Heavy Industries Marine & Engineering, Co, Ltd (Japan) – Associate Member
Taiwado – Ben Kimura-Gross (Germany/Japan) – Associate Member
Sustainable Sea Transport Initiative (Fiji) – Registered Supporter
On 15-16 Feb, new IWSA supporter, the Sustainable Sea Transport Initiative (SSTI) organized a regional workshop for traditional boat builders of the Pacific. The regional workshop of Pacific traditional boat builders gathered around 60 participants across the Pacific states and territories, from Papua New Guinea to French Polynesia and from Guam to New Zealand. It was organized as a Pacific “Talanoa”, a session during which participants were gathering, exchanging information on current projects, sharing their experience, talking through opportunities and challenges they are facing, and discussing possible solutions and ways forward. Read more…
21 April – ‘Listening to the Wind’ Interview with Wilf Chaplin, Sail Designer at Onesails joins us for this interview, talking sailing rigs, materials and the development of the market for soft sail solutions for commercial shipping. Watch here
15 April – Upcoming Conference/Presentations featuring Wind Propulsion in April
27-28 April – 2022 GREEN4SEA Virtual Forum
The leading global conference focusing on latest developments in green shipping including air emissions, shipping decarbonization, ship recycling, future fuels and ESG in shipping. The IWSA Secretary General will be presenting on Wed 27 April at 1215 GMT. Register here
25-27 April – Sustainable Supply Chain Conference
Highlighting not only the giant untapped opportunity of supply chain decarbonisation in international climate action but also how having sustainability at the very core of your business and strategy can influence the bottom line.
Tuesday, 26 April, 14:50 15:40 IWSA Secretary general will be presenting in Session 4 – Innovating to net zero: This session will explore how to balance sustainable environmental protection with economic considerations. 14:50 – 15:15: Re-wind not rewind: a vision of shipping 4.0. Full Agenda and Registration here
10 April – UN Ocean Conference – IWSA has been granted representative status for the UN Ocean Conference to be held in Lisbon, Portugal from 27 June – 01 July, where we will be delivering the positive message to world leaders and the maritime community that wind propulsion can accelerate and deepen the decarbonisation of shipping and help to facilitate the uptake of other low carbon propulsion solutions this decade. Conference details
09 April – Interview: IWSA Secretary General discusses future scenarios for a decarbonised maritime sector with a focus on the Middle East. Read more…
07 April – ‘Listening to the Wind’ Interview with Marc Van Peteghem, Yacht Designer, Owner of VPLP Design and Chairman at AYRO on the transition of yacht and racing technology and knowhow into the commercial wind propulsion sector and the potential that brings to decarbonise the sector. Watch here
04 April – Weather Routing Agreement Announcement: Norsepower Oy Ltd. has signed a formal agreement with NAPA, the global maritime software, services and data analysis company to offer weather routing software in combination with its Rotor Sails solution. Read more…
01 April – Article: Wind propulsion accelerator aims to take small developers through ‘valley of death’
Plans to help take technology to market include ambitious aim to create a fleet of vessels to test systems, as well as secure funding for development.
March 2022
30 March -‘Listening to the Wind’ Interview with Danielle Doggett, Founder and CEO of the Costa Rica based SAILCARGO Inc. building a wooden constructed sail cargo vessel for trading between Latin America and the North and with plans for further ships and expansion to larger and longer trades. Watch here
29 March – Installation Agreement Announcement: Dutch short sea ro-ro and general cargo vessel operator Amasus Shipping has signed a deal with Spanish wind assist company bound4blue to install two 17m eSails on the 91m, 2,850dwt vessel EEMS Traveller. Read more…
25 March – AiP Granted: Bureau Veritas (BV) has delivered an Approval in Principle (AiP) to Chantiers de l’Atlantique for their innovative sailing propulsion system, Solid Sail, tailored for the large ships market. Read more…
23 March – Wind Propulsion Ship Designs Certified: Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism certified new ship designs including the use of hard sail and a wind kite to provide propulsion assistance and reduce the vessels’ environmental impact. Read more…
21 March – Installation Announcement: Installation of two modular containers housing twin Econowind ventifoil suction wings on the 7,395 GT RoRo vessel, Marfret Niolon. Read more…
17 March – ‘Listening to the Wind’ Interview with Dr. Jonathan Kohler, Fraunhofer ISI, a leading researcher specialising in Innovation Theory and Sustainability Transitions within the maritime sector. Discussion around potential scenarios for the uptake of wind propulsion as part of the decarbonisation of the shipping sector. Watch here
11 March – European Sustainable Shipping Forum (ESSF): The Ship Efficiency Sub-group has launched a wind propulsion workstream with deliverables focused on technical submissions to IMO, EU regulation review and delivering an overview of the state of play in the wind propulsion market.
09 March – New Installation Agreement: Norsepower has signed an agreement with CLdN to install two tilting 35m x 5m Rotor Sails on the MV Delphine, a Ro-Ro vessel in operation between the UK, Ireland and Europe, which is reportedly the largest short sea Ro-Ro vessel operating in the world today. Read more…
08 March – Wind Sensing Technology Survey Launched – This 10 minute, anonymous survey is related to the usage of wind sensing technologies on wind-assisted vessels. The survey has been launched by Vaisala, one of our newest members, and the responses will be used by them to gain a better understanding of the different wind propulsion technologies, their needs and key challenges regarding wind observation and optimization technologies. Vaisala will also be sharing the outcomes of the survey with IWSA, further bolstering the association’s knowledge in this area too.
To take the survey, please follow this link: https://response.questback.com/vaisalaoyj/duwgrpzg6n
03 March – Listening to the Wind Interview – Interview with Roberto Prever, Naval Architect and President of NAOS Ship and boat design discussing their recent rig installation, scalability and the shipping market for wind propulsion going forward. Watch here
02 March – The 88m, 5,500dwt ‘With Orca’ vessel has been awarded Approval in Principle (AiP) by LR. The vessels is designed by Norwegian Ship Design and features twin rotor sails and a hydrogen system with fuel to be supplied by Statkraft. It is scheduled to enter operation in early 2024. The zero-emissions vessel is planned to enter into a long-term transport contract with cargo owners Felleskjøpet Agri and Heidelberg Cement. Read more…
February 2022
24 February – Upcoming Event – Decarbonising bulk carriers with hydrogen fuel cells and wind-assisted propulsion webinar as part of Bulk Carrier Webinar Week – 04 March
IWSA Secretary general will join the expert panel at this webinar to discuss the potential for zero-emissions shipping using wind power – direct propulsion along with renewable energy derived H2 in the Bulker sector.
Register here: Bulk Carrier Webinar Week (rivieramm.com)
23 February – Final Call for Submissions for the Natural Propulsion Seminar – BlueWeek 13-16 June
Please find below the final call for contributions/presentation/papers for the Natural Propulsion Seminar, as part of MARIN’s Blueweek on 13-16 June. This is always a key event in the wind propulsion calendar, and an important collaboration with IWSA. MARIN will be hosting and leading the proceedings and IWSA will moderate the Q&A/discussion sessions. On the following day, we will also hold our IWSA members meeting during the event (Tuesday AM, 14 June), so a great opportunity to hear about some interesting projects and also have time together with IWSA members (finally in person).
More information: https://www.blueforum.org/
For the NPS, there is generally a preference for projects that haven’t before presented, though those with significant milestones reached are very welcome back, if there is space in the line-up.
BlueWeek to be held on board SS Rotterdam
Started in 2012, BlueWeek is an event which merges public seminars with (closed) project meetings relating to the energy transition in shipping and offshore. In the public seminars, the progress on projects is shared. Also, pitches allow new collaborative projects to gather participants (or just feedback). In parallel there’s the opportunity to have your private collaborative project meetings, making for an efficient overall.
The event will be hybrid but to get the most out of it, we encourage attending in person on board https://ssrotterdam.nl/
Opportunities to contribute to Natural Propulsion Seminar Program (Monday afternoon, 13th June)
One of the “disciplines” is “Natural Propulsion”. It is mainly for presentations in short slots (c.15 min) and the scope includes all natural sources that can be used for propulsion of ships. This includes waves, solar or any other source. In practice a large part of the program is on wind propulsion. There are no papers, allowing for relatively little preparation time. The focus is on technological developments, design and modelling, although the wider context around that is not forgotten. Since we went online last year, the audience is world wide with a large fraction of the people from Europe and the United States. Attendees and presenters are often from technology suppliers, academia, designers and shipyards and to a lesser extent ship owners/operators and regulators.
Pitches and collaborative projects: Within Blue Week, we also specifically wish to facilitate collaborative projects. The option to present a pitch talk of a few minutes is specifically intended to initiate new collaborative projects. You can present your project ideas and then invite others to give you feedback or directly join the project.
If you want to present, pitch or hold your project meeting at BlueWeek, then please email secretary@wind-ship.org and r.eggers@marin.nl
21 February – Upcoming Event: 29-31 March: CMA Shipping Conference, Connecticut, USA
The CMA shipping conference is the leading industry conference in the US and if you want the latest business intelligence, listen to leading experts and meet the key stakeholders in the US maritime sphere, this is the conference for you. International Windship Association | CMA Shipping (informaconnect.com)
IWSA is an official supporter for the CMA Shipping Conference, and as an IWSA member you will receive a discount for 37th Annual Expo & Conference
March 29-31, 2022 Hilton Stamford | Connecticut, USA Here is a $300 discount code: VIP code: FKT3853IWSA and tracked link with $300 discount applied: https://bit.ly/3JiDHjc
16 February – New Member – we are very pleased to welcome Fair Ferry, a new associate member to IWSA, we are looking forward to working together in developing commercial wind propulsion further in the future.
15 February – The latest WASP Newsletter (February 2022) is now available to view on Flipsnack – News on the Tharsis installation, interview with Rord Braren, sea trials and other recent event news, reports etc.
Read here
15 February – Grain de Sail signs with Pirou for the Construction of its Next Cargo Sailboat ‘GRAIN DE SAIL 2’
After a months-long consultation process, Grain de Sail signed with Piriou the contract for the build of its future cargo sailboat on the 11th of February during the One Ocean Summit week in Brest aboard Grain de Sail 1. The rigging will be provided by Lorima. Delivery of Grain de Sail 2, a pure sailing freight vessel with over 350 tons of payload capacity, is expected at the end of 2023. The company from Morlaix, Brittany hence will be adding a second cargo sailboat to its carbon-free maritime fleet in order to expand its transportation capabilities and meet the increasing demand for its coffees and chocolates.
Read Press Release – Grain de Sail signs with Piriou
15 February – Listening to the Wind Interview – Damon Roberts, DynaRig Authority at Southern Spars joins IWSA Secretary General Gavin Allwright to talk Dynarigs, sail vessel performance and engineering the rigs for future primary wind commercial vessels among other things…
13 February – Hudson River Maritime Museum Seeks Papers for Sail Freight Conference – November event will focus on small scale inland and coastal sail freight.
Papers are being sought in advance of the Conference on Inland and Coastal Small Scale Sail Freight to be held on Saturday, November 5, 2022 at Hudson River Maritime Museum. The event is organized by Hudson River Maritime Museum, Schooner Apollonia, and the Center For Post Carbon Logistics. Organizers are presently seeking papers on a variety of maritime topics including vessel design, crew training, and fuel calculation. For the purpose of this conference, Sail Freight is defined as “The maritime movement of cargo under primarily wind power” and small vessels include those up to 500 gross tons. Submission deadline for papers is Thursday, March 31, 2022. More details here…
09 February – Wind Propulsion Recommendations for Policy Makers and World Leaders Delivered at the One Ocean Summit
Following the very well received Wind Propulsion Forum at the One Ocean Summit this morning, the International Windship Association Secretary General, Gavin Allwright delivered a number of recommendations and a call for action for policy makers and world leaders attending the summit. The key parts from that statement are as follows:
“During the forum, we have already heard calls for an appropriate level of carbon pricing and levies to be brought into the shipping industry, these are very clear, so I won’t take time repeating those now.
Critically, we need to fully integrate the potential of wind-powered ships within International and European institutions, in order to further improve ocean protection and urgently deliver on decarbonisation pledges by adopting an ‘propulsion- or energy-centric approach rather than a narrow fuel-centric one’.
To this end, actively supporting the evolution of the International Maritime Organization’s texts so that wind propulsion is considered in the same way as alternative fuels and is brought to the heart of the maritime transport decarbonisation pathway. Also, promoting direct wind power for shipping in European policies dedicated to the greening of the fleet, including in the proposals currently under discussion such as Fuel EU Maritime and the wider ‘Fit 55’ program.
Another key recommendation is a concrete one, to deploy a fleet of wind-propelled vessels in island territories that are extremely vulnerable to climate change and that will be confronted with the challenges of availability and cost of alternative fuels – in particular the Pacific islands, but also the Caribbean territories and many other least developed regions and small island developing states. This fleet will stand as a strong contributing factor in building resilience in these regions and will be a symbol of international solidarity and a commitment to a ‘Just Transition’ in the Ocean sphere.
Your support nationally, regionally and internationally for the research, development and deployment of direct wind propulsion systems and vessels will be a clear, unequivocal message that urgent and deep reductions in shipping emissions are not just possible this decade, but affordable and hugely beneficial to the blue economy and ocean environment.
As we call it, A Win, Win, Wind situation for All!”
The three-day One Ocean summit will run from 09-11 February and was convened by the French President in the context of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union, with the support from the United Nations.
09 February – WASP Project Webinar: Digital Twins and Wind Assisted Ship Propulsion
Wednesday, 23 February 1100-1230 CET
Featuring specialists Professor Joshua Lacey, KU Leuven Faculty of Engineering Technology – Group T Leuven Campus Leuven & Dr. Frederik Gerhardt, Senior Technical Expert, SSPA – Sweden AB
04 February – Listening to the Wind Interview – Talking with Patrick Englebert, Founder & CEO of Propelwind, a wind propulsion technology provider and specialist in wind propulsion market development and potential.
02 February – Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) announces the completion of the first full scale Wind Challenger Rig at the Oshima shipyard. the full scale rig will be shore tested in preparation for installation in the summer on a new build bulk carrier currently under construction. Press release: Read more…
02 February – WIND FOR THE FUTURE FORUM at the One Ocean Summit – Wind propulsion to be front and centre at the ONE OCEAN SUMMIT
A SUMMIT TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST THE THREATS TO THE OCEAN
The ocean covers more than 70% of the surface of our planet, yet too often remains on the side lines of major European and international events.
The ocean is a regulator of major environmental balances, and climate in particular, a provider of resources, an important enabler of trade, and an essential link between countries and human communities. However, it is now seriously threatened by numerous pressures, such as the effects of climate change, pollution or the overexploitation of marine resources.
In an effort to mobilise the international community and take tangible action to mitigate such pressures on the ocean, the President of the French Republic has decided to organise a One Planet Summit dedicated to the ocean, scheduled to take place in Brest on 9-11 February 2022. The “One Ocean Summit” will be held in the context of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union, with the support of the United Nations.
WIND FOR THE FUTURE FORUM
The International Windship Association and Association Wind Ship are thrilled to announce the organisation of a forum dedicated to wind propulsion at the opening of this summit.
Two panels and a debate will feed the reflections on the role of wind propulsion into the pathway for decarbonising shipping. This forum highlights the serious consideration that wind propulsion is receiving as an alternative energy source for shipping. The discussion will focus on the means to accelerate the deployment of these solutions, which carry such societal and environmental promise. Register Here
01 February – IWSA Granted Consultative Status at IMO
We are very pleased to announce that the International Maritime Organization has formally confirmed the granting of consultative status to the International Windship Association (IWSA). We look forward to working closely with IMO in further developing the regulatory framework around wind propulsion systems and in contributing to the toolbox of solutions for decarbonising the shipping industry. Press Release
01 February – Education – Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden is offering a Postdoc in Marine propulsion systems for wind assisted vessels, a great opportunity for qualified researchers to take a deep dive into the interactions between WPS and conventional propulsion systems.
Application deadline 13 March 2022
January 2022
31 January: World of Shipping – Portugal 2022 – IWSA Secretary General Gavin Allwright gave a presentation that included some of the usual key points on the efficacy of wind propulsion, but also delved a little deeper into how wind-assist technologies and primary wind vessels fit into the decarbonisation of shipping pathways and policy framework along with a focus on the key drivers, barriers and solutions to that.
30 January: Enkhuizer Zeevaartschool / Enkhuizen Nautical College is once again running it’s well regarded Wind Assisted Ship Propulsion course 11-19 Feb.
Subjects covered include:
– WASP vessel performance
– Weather routing, velocity prediction
– History and future of WASP
– Aero- and hydro dynamics
- Policy and regulations
– Ship building and Ships stability of WASP vessels
https://www.ezs.nl/wind-assisted-ship-propulsion.html
28 January – Article – Marine Professional (Imarest) – Back to the future with wind-propulsion: We are a year into the Decade of Wind Propulsion and this article takes stock of the momentum growing in the wind propulsion segment, “…a rate of growth that, if sustained, suggests fair winds and following seas for this emerging sector.”
This is a marathon not a sprint, but then wind propulsion will always be a good option on the long trades.
25 January – Article: The Milken Institute quarterly review takes aim at wind propulsion covering a lot of ground (it would take the entire magazine to include every project) and concluding with some conservative comments I have made on a fairly regular basis regarding the economics of harnessing wind that turn the argument that shipping is a hard-to-abate sector when it comes to decarbonisation on it’s head. We are the only transport mode that has the ability to harness an inexhaustable, pure zero-emissions and free energy source directly. That is a low-hanging gift that just keeps giving! Read more…
20 January: EcoClipper has purchased its first sail cargo vessel, the Dutch Klipper ‘De Tukker’. This is the first vessel to join the EcoClipper fleet. The vessel will require a retrofit and will begin providing trade and passenger travel under sail on the North Sea in the first half of 2022. The ship has a barge shaped hull and will be able to carry about 80 cubic meters, or an equivalent of 50-70 tonnes, of cargo. It will also have accommodation for up to 12 paying guests. Read more…
13 January – Michelin has reached an agreement with Compagnie Maritime Nantaise – MN to test their inflatable WISAMO sail system on the first commercial vessel, the 154m, 12,000gt Roro cargo MN Pélican. This will involve installing a 100m2 sail before the end of the year operating on a UK/Spain route. Read more…
12 January – TransOceanic Wind Transport (TOWT) – has announced the signing of a New Build Contract to build their first 260ft (80m) sail cargo vessel at Piriou shipyard and the ship is scheduled to enter service in mid 2023. This will be the first of TOWTs primary wind vessel fleet and will have a 1100t capacity and operate with very low emissions on various routes worldwide. Congratulations to the team and looking forward to seeing this ship in the water!
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11 January – Wind Propulsion White Paper released from Association Windship (IWSA Europe Atlantic Hub) – this white paper takes a look at the potential of wind propulsion from a France development opportunity perspective. congratulations to Secretary Lise Detrimont and the team in Nantes. (Report in French) Download here
11 January – ‘The answer is blowin’ in the wind’ article in the Maritime Foundation UK magazine has IWSA Secretary general Gavin Allwright laying out the wind propulsion stall once more (pp26-29) – updating progress with wind and the potential therein. Read more…
04 January – Conoship International formally announces that it is their design for 3600dwt low carbon, wind-assisted mini-bulkers that will be built at Fosen Yard in Germany. The six ships will each feature twin eConowind ventifoil systems. On completion this will be the largest fleet modern day installation of wind-assist propulsion systems so far. This announcement comes on the back of the testing and validation work underway as part of the EU Interreg WASP project – Congratulations all round! Read more….
04 January – In the News – Three wishes for the New Year.
Financial Times – Blue sky ideas: green sea thinking will lift sales of sails
The FT identifies wind propulsion is an up and coming trend and a key technology segment in the drive to decarbonise commercial shipping. Read more…
The Economist – The World Ahead 2022: What next? 22 emerging technologies to watch in 2022
Wind propulsion joins 21 other technology sectors as an emerging technology segment to watch for 2022.
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Canary Media – Sailing into 2022 with wind-powered cargo ships: Use of wind-propulsion devices like towing kites and rotor sails set to double in 2022, experts say.
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01 January – Happy New Year – The IWSA Secretariat, Executive Committee and all IWSA members would like to wish you all a very healthy, prosperous and wind propelled New Year!
Safety4Sea – IWSA Secretary General – Dear 2022,
Gavin Allwright, Secretary General, International Windship Association (IWSA), makes an assessment of 2021 and shares his message for the new year across the global maritime community.
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