British company Windship Technology has received approval in principle (AiP) from classification society DNV GL for its patented triple-wing rig.
In February this year, the firm unveiled its zero-emission ship design and announced an investment partnership with DNV.
The company’s design starts with the rigs, constructed from composite materials to reduce weight at height, and goes further with an incorporated diesel electric drive featuring a full carbon capture system.
The wings deployed on vessels are located on a steel cruciform base which provides the intersection with the ship and also house the lifting and lowering mechanism – especially important for port access and bridge height clearance.
The rigs can be lowered either fore and aft or over the ship’s side as required for loading and unloading operations. Whilst underway, they are automatically controlled, rotating to gain the greatest motive advantage from the available wind power.
“This is a … milestone for the whole team at Windship Technology and we are now in a position to capitalise on the multiple discussions that we have been having with owners and charterers who are all looking for long-term solutions,” Graham Harvey , Chief Executive of Windship Technology commented.
Each wing has trailing edge flaps that allow for optimisation of the motive force produced for a variety of incident wind angles and allow the rigs to produce the highest power density of any current wind-powered solution.
With three rigs set, they can produce all the power required to sail an 80,000 DWT ship on the main long transoceanic routes.
The new design is expected to reduce fossil fuel consumption whilst eliminating NO2, SOX, and particulate matter and zero carbon emissions.
“Now it is abundantly clear that the shipping industry has a workable solution to its significant emissions issues. Fleet owners and charterers have a zero emissions option with Windship Technology’s whole-ship design that is set to revolutionise the industry and the need for these wing solutions has never been more than now. With the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index coming into force on 1 st January 2023, the clock is ticking on the shipping industry,” Simon Rogers , Technical Director at Windship Technology stated.
In July 2021, Windship Technology signed an agreement with Australian company Calix Limited to develop and incorporate Calix’s onboard carbon capture system RECAST into its whole-ship solution.