Shipping industry turns to high-tech wings for faster decarbonisation

Huge 20-metre wings are being developed in a bid to reduce carbon emissions in the shipping industry.

When bolted to a vessel’s decks and sitting upright, the wing, called FastRig, will act as a sail harnessing the power of wind. Smart Green Shipping (SGS), the company that has developed the device, and some of the world’s leading shipowners are convinced that it can provide clean power to supplement ships’ engines.

Alexandra Herdman, Logistics UK Senior Policy Manager said: "With shipping being a difficult sector to decarbonise and with no clear green fuel for the future, innovation such as the Fatsrig is a welcome method of reducing emissions.

"Not only can the Fastrig reduce fuel consumption, but they were built and tested right here on the Clyde - where world class ship building is steeped into its history."

SGS, a start-up company, expects the system to be attractive to owners of ships and, potentially, to companies hiring them long-term. The wings could be bolted to the deck of the ship temporarily, for the duration of a charter.

The company expects to be able to cut ships’ fuel consumption by as much as 30 per cent. That is more than some of the other wind-propulsion technologies being developed — a six-month trial by commodities trader Cargill on a bulk carrier fitted with sails by another developer, achieved average emissions savings of 14 per cent.

Published On: 25/04/2024 15:25:48

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