GT Green Technologies, in collaboration with Carisbrooke Shipping, and The University of Bristol, have secured a £3.7 million grant from the UK Department for Transport (DfT) to install a wind propulsion system on a general cargo vessel.
The project aims to install a 20-meter AirWing wind propulsion system on a Carisbrooke Shipping vessel for the UK-Canada-UK route. The innovative technology is expected to achieve significant fuel and carbon emission savings of 8.3%, resulting in annual cost savings exceeding £139,000.
AirWing utilises an airflow manipulation technology designed to maximise thrust output while maintaining a compact and lightweight profile. Allegedly, over its 25-year lifespan, the AirWing has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by 14,250 metric tonnes, equivalent to removing over 3,000 cars from the roads.
Captain Simon Merritt, Sr. Fleet Manager at Carisbrooke Shipping, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, saying that using AirWing technology will reduce operating costs by lowering fuel consumption and emissions.
We believe that wind propulsion will play an important role in future sustainable shipping and that cross-disciplinary research in fluid dynamics, structures, and ship science will be necessary to harness its full potential.
… said Tobias Laux, Research Associate at The University of Bristol
This project is part of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition Round 4 (CMDC4), funded by the UK Department for Transport (DfT) and delivered by Innovate UK. CMDC4 is part of the Department’s UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) program, a £206m initiative focused on developing the technology necessary to decarbonise the UK domestic maritime sector.
The voyage to sustainability demands bold investments to not just deliver greener shipping but highly skilled jobs across the UK. Transformative solutions can help shape the future landscape of the maritime industry and support jobs in coastal communities.
… highlighted UK Maritime Minister, Lord Davies
