"Major Step Forward" in Bringing Wind, Solar Marine Propulsion System to Market

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Tuesday May 13, 2014

Eco Marine Power (EMP) announced Monday it has taken a "major step forward" towards bringing its renewable energy marine propulsion system to market, having formed a strategic alliance with Japan-based marine equipment manufacturer Teramoto Iron Works Co. Ltd. (Teramoto Iron Works).

EMP says the alliance will provide it with access to a production base and testing centre in Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, which will lead to the production of the first pre-commercial versions of its wind and solar power rigid sail technology, known as EnergySail, later this year.

Commenting on the alliance, Yoshitaka Teramoto, President of Teramoto Iron Works said: "We look forward to working together with EMP in bringing the EnergySail and Aquarius MRE System to the shipping market.

"Both these technologies will also give Teramoto Iron Works the opportunity to demonstrate once again our skills and ability to deliver high quality products."

Greg Atkinson, Director and CTO at EMP said: "This is a major step forward for EMP as our alliance with Teramoto Iron Works moves us from testing in the lab to a position where we can deliver, along with our strategic partners, our EnergySail technology.

"We are also extremely pleased to be working with a pioneering company that was involved in the early days of rigid sail production and that has a well established reputation for delivering high quality products."

Following the initial pre-commercial production, the EnergySail will be installed on a ship and evaluated during sea trials, along with the EnergySail Automated Control System (ACS), which is used to automate the operation of an EnergySail or an array of EnergySails.

The companies say they will also co-operate on various research & design projects and work together to develop further variations of the EnergySail.

Earlier this month at Sea Japan 2014, EMP made the first public display of a number of its bunker saving technologies and concepts including the EnergySail.