World News
Irish Navy to Begin Commercialising Fuel Saving Kite Technology
The Irish Naval Service is looking to begin commecialising its kite sail technology, which will help to reduce bunker costs and aid in navigation and security surveillance, the organisation announced this week.
A demonstration was reportedly given to Alex White, Irish Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources earlier this week.
"This kite technology brings efficiencies to shipping transport and enables us to develop better intelligence about our oceans and new ocean energy technologies being deployed at sea," said White.
"It is a good example of how Ireland is leading in maritime innovation.”
The Irish Navy has been developing this technology since 2012, and announced last year that it had plans to test the system.
According to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), the arm of the Irish government who helped fund the project, sensors will be hoisted on large kites 300 metres above naval vessels, which in addition to enhancing ship propulsion, can reportedly improve surveillance range by up to 15 times.
In 2012, it was reported the the fuel-saving aspect of the technology would have a large impact, especially as the naval force uses 40 percent of the fuel allocated to the country's defence forces.
Key Bunker Prices More
| VLSFO | MGO | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $/mt | +/- | $/mt | +/- | |
| Singapore | 655.50 | 2.00 | 808.50 | 4.50 |
| Rotterdam | 619.00 | 0.00 | 789.00 | 8.00 |
| Houston | 628.50 | 7.50 | 812.50 | 1.50 |
| Fujairah | 653.50 | 4.50 | 900.00 | 2.50 |
| Global 20 Ports Average | 672.00 | 0.50 | 885.00 | 7.00 |
| Global 4 Ports Average | 639.00 | 2.50 | 827.50 | 2.00 |
| Global Average Bunker Price | 727.50 | 1.50 | 933.50 | 5.00 |
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