ONE to launch trial using wind propulsion tech in Jan 2024
Japanese shipping company Ocean Network Express (ONE) has partnered with Dutch maritime wind-power tech firm Econowind to launch a six-month trial for wind propulsion technology.
PHOTO: Wind-assist devices. ONE
The duo will install two containerised wind-assist devices on a 1,036-TEU feeder vessel, which operates on the Busan-Yokohama-Honolulu route. The vessel is owned by the shipping company NORSE UK and operated by its Singapore-based affiliate firm Goodwood Ship Management.
The wind-assist device resembles aircraft wings in appearance. It has been designed to harness wind energy and reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, ONE says.
It features a suction system, which increases airflow and enables thrust to aid propulsion. The technology “has the potential to generate up to 400kW of power, reducing fuel consumption by 5%,” ONE claims.
The entire system is fully automatic and can be adjusted for wind speed and direction.
Upon completion of the trial, ONE will record data on fuel consumption, emissions reductions and overall efficiency of the vessel.
Designs involving wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS) have been in the spotlight recently for providing enhanced fuel savings. A DNV study cited vessel owners who said that WAPS has provided fuel savings of between 4.5% and 9%.
By Manjula Nair
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