John Cooper is the CEO of BAR Technologies. Image Credit: BAR

Wind-assisted propulsion is increasingly being viewed as a tool to manage fuel risk in global shipping, as operators face sustained volatility in energy markets, according to BAR Technologies.

Shipowners are reassessing fuel strategies amid geopolitical tensions, infrastructure disruptions and fluctuating fuel availability, the wind propulsion firm said in an email statement on Friday.

Alongside this, dual-fuel vessels are taking on a broader commercial role.

Once seen primarily as a bridge to lower emissions, they are now being used to provide operational flexibility, allowing operators to switch between fuels depending on price, availability and route dynamics.

“Wind won’t replace fuel, but it changes the risk profile,” John Cooper, CEO of BAR Technologies, said.

“If part of your energy input isn’t bought on the market, you’re less exposed. That starts to matter when volatility becomes the norm, not the exception.”

BAR Technology noted that single-fuel strategies leave vessels fully exposed to bunker price swings driven by geopolitics and supply constraints.

By contrast, dual-fuel capability enables response to shifting fuel economics, while wind provides a non-market energy source with no fuel cost.

Even partial use of wind can improve cost stability, the company said.

The firm added that advances in weather routing and voyage optimisation are making wind systems easier to integrate.

This reflects a broader shift towards flexibility and resilience, with diversified energy strategies becoming central to commercial performance.

“The companies that build flexibility into their operations will be the ones that come through this strongest,” Cooper said.