England (Commonwealth Union)_ One of the projects to receive funding in the second round of a multi-year clean maritime demonstration competition has been chosen by the UK government from a startup that is creating a novel method of wind-assisted propulsion.
In order to support the design and development of clean maritime solutions and to aid in the commercialization of the chosen technologies, the project, which began in 2021 and runs through 2025, will provide research and development match funding. In this year’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition Round 2, GT Green Technologies, a UK-based expert in wind propulsion, is one of the businesses that will receive funding. The organization’s development and feasibility study for the AirWing was offered and approved as part of the competition’s second round.
Innovative airflow technology is used by the AirWing, which the business claims increase fuel efficiency and reduces carbon emissions. According to the company’s illustrations, their idea resembles an airplane wing that is supported by the ship’s deck in an upright position. GT Green Technologies looks to employ an aileron or wing flap that changes the angle to optimize the yield from the wing, in contrast to rival designs. The manufacturer claims in its literature that “the innovative airflow technique increases thrust to size ratio”. Other models from other firms rotate the angle of their sails in response to the direction of the wind.
According to GT Green Technologies, its design should result in fuel savings of between 10 and 30 percent for retrofit vessels and even higher savings for new construction. Comparatively, the first bulk carrier to use a rigid sail, Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, predicted a five percent reduction on the route between Japan and Australia but up to an eight percent reduction on Pacific crossings where wind conditions would be more favorable based on performance during the first voyage. Last week, a French startup called bound4blue predicted that its suction wing design would result in a savings of between 15 and 20 percent.
