Photo: Hartel Shipping
On the road towards the elusive net-zero Holy Grail, maritime transportation seems to have an ace up its sleeve, despite being considered one of the hardest mobility sectors to decarbonize. That’s the power of wind. Described by some professionals in the industry as “the purest form of energy” there is, wind power might become the key to accelerating the transition of shipping vessels to green operations.
The best part about harnessing this incredible natural power source in modern times? The sky is (literally and metaphorically) the limit. One shipping company can use traditional wooden ships fitted with classic sails, to carry goods the old-fashioned way, and another one could implement a modernized version of these sails, and use it in combination with hybrid or dual-fuel propulsion.
Traditional sailing might sound charming, but it can only go so far when it comes to transporting cargo in large quantities, over huge distances. It’s obvious that massive tankers and carriers can’t rely on that. But an innovative interpretation of the sailing concept could increase their green powers significantly.
Hartel Shipping & Chartering is one of the latest industry players to try out this groundbreaking idea. It has already selected the builder for three future vessels that will combine a diesel-electric drivetrain with a new sailing system, called VentiFoil.
The three vessels are coasters, meaning cargo ships that operate in coastal areas, therefore they need enough power to handle short-sea operations. That will be mainly provided by two 374 bkW electro motors, with a total installed power of 749 kW. That should be able to move forward the 89.4-meter (293 feet) giants that are designed with two decks, for a remarkable cargo capacity of 5,530 cubic meters.
According to the shipping company, this alone would lead to 35% fuel savings, which in turn reduces toxic emissions. But Hartel didn’t stop there. The first of these vessels is already gearing up to be fitted with the VentiFoil, resulting in further cuts of up to 12%. In other words, this ship could operate efficiently with almost 50% fewer emissions.
Econowind’s VentiFoil is the futuristic, highly-efficient version of ancient sails. Defined as “a non-rotating suction wing with vents and an internal fan,” it’s basically a folded type of sail that can rotate around its own axis. This innovative design doesn’t only make it more efficient in terms of aerodynamics, but also takes very little space, which leaves more room for cargo on board.
VentiFoil is just one of the contemporary takes on sailing. Airseas, a French wind propulsion developer with Airbus as its minority shareholder and launch customer, has come up with the Seawing concept. A special type of kite with advanced automation, the Seawing looks mesmerizing in operation, and its benefits sound promising.
Traditional sailing might sound charming, but it can only go so far when it comes to transporting cargo in large quantities, over huge distances. It’s obvious that massive tankers and carriers can’t rely on that. But an innovative interpretation of the sailing concept could increase their green powers significantly.
Hartel Shipping & Chartering is one of the latest industry players to try out this groundbreaking idea. It has already selected the builder for three future vessels that will combine a diesel-electric drivetrain with a new sailing system, called VentiFoil.
The three vessels are coasters, meaning cargo ships that operate in coastal areas, therefore they need enough power to handle short-sea operations. That will be mainly provided by two 374 bkW electro motors, with a total installed power of 749 kW. That should be able to move forward the 89.4-meter (293 feet) giants that are designed with two decks, for a remarkable cargo capacity of 5,530 cubic meters.
According to the shipping company, this alone would lead to 35% fuel savings, which in turn reduces toxic emissions. But Hartel didn’t stop there. The first of these vessels is already gearing up to be fitted with the VentiFoil, resulting in further cuts of up to 12%. In other words, this ship could operate efficiently with almost 50% fewer emissions.
Econowind’s VentiFoil is the futuristic, highly-efficient version of ancient sails. Defined as “a non-rotating suction wing with vents and an internal fan,” it’s basically a folded type of sail that can rotate around its own axis. This innovative design doesn’t only make it more efficient in terms of aerodynamics, but also takes very little space, which leaves more room for cargo on board.
VentiFoil is just one of the contemporary takes on sailing. Airseas, a French wind propulsion developer with Airbus as its minority shareholder and launch customer, has come up with the Seawing concept. A special type of kite with advanced automation, the Seawing looks mesmerizing in operation, and its benefits sound promising.
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