Researchers are taking ship design back to the future with an ancient concept - sails. But this time there’s not a scrap of sailcloth in sight.
In August 2023, a cargo ship set sail on its maiden voyage, making its way across the ocean to Brazil.
The result of years of planning and preparation, it is the world’s first cargo ship retrofitted with a game-changing technology called WindWings: rigid, retractable sails that harness wind power to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
The crew onboard is alerted when to raise or lower the sails, and they can do so in the push of a button from the bridge.
And that is not all, the ship glides along on a carpet of micro bubbles deployed beneath the hull reducing friction and lowering fuel consumption.
New-build cargo ships with three WindWings installed could use on average 30% less fuel, which could be even higher if used in combination with alternative fuels.
Researchers have also created a hydrogen-powered cruise ship that in combination with a waste heat recovery system, manages to cover the engine needs onboard the ship.
Energy needed to propel the ship through the water is lowered by a new technology that keeps the hull clean using an ultrasound antifouling system, preventing barnacles and other sea life from accumulating on submerged surfaces.
The researchers’ ultimate ambition is to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 99% and energy savings by 50%.