Singapore an "Obvious Centre" for Bunker Saving Wind Power Technology

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Monday July 28, 2014

A London-based maker of wind-power technology for large cargo vessels says a $10.5 million investment in its sails can reduce fuel costs by $2 million a year on an existing ship, or even more on a new ship, the Wall Street Journal reports.

"The saving has to be so great that it is a no brainer," said Windship Technology (Windship) Co-founder Guy Walker.

The company, which has just finished computerised modelling of its systems, plans to build and test a prototype in Singapore by the second quarter of 2015.

"We are in close discussions with owners and charterers who have a more open mindset and can see what an economic advantage really looks like," Walker said.

He said Singapore, which focuses on green shipping with a number of incentive programs, is an "obvious center" and "fertile ground" for the company although it has not yet qualified for the programs.

Among companies exploring wind power for shipping, Windship is unusual in its focus on long-haul cargo ships larger than 40,000 tonnes.

The technology faces potential obstacles including winning funding, addressing potential safety issues, and finding a test partner.

"Most of these technologies require considerable investments, so they should yield substantial fuel saving benefits for them to become attractive," said Jasper Boessenkool, head of strategic R&D at Maersk Maritime Technology.

Lloyd's Register conducted an initial assessment of the Windship technology last year.

Last month, Finnish marine engineering company Norsepower Oy Ltd. (Norsepower) announced its own plans for wind power systems for cargo ships.