Wind-Assisted Propulsion Systems (WAPS) company GT Wings has announced the launch of the AirWingS, a new compact and lightweight Jet Sail developed to address the operational requirements of smaller commercial vessels. The new design expands the AirWing product line to address a broader segment of the commercial shipping market, UK-based GT Wings said in a statement sent to ship.energy today (15 October). The AirWingS has been developed specifically for vessels where vessel size, available deck space  and weight considerations can influence the suitability of wind-assisted propulsion technology. ‘The AirWingS is an important addition to our product range. We know there […]

Six Norsepower Rotor Sails have been installed on board the Spirit of Toulouse, the lead vessel in a new fleet of three methanol dual-fuelled Ro-Ro ships built for LD Armateurs to support transport operations for Airbus. In a statement sent to ship.energy today (15 October), Norsepower and LD Armateurs said that the installation, carried out at the Wuchang Shipbuilding yard in Shanghai, makes Spirit of Toulouse ‘not only the largest RoRo vessel in the world to be equipped with wind propulsion but also the vessel with the largest number of mechanical sails in the world’. The six Rotor Sails are […]

Wallenius Marine, together with KTH, RISE and AlfaWall Oceanbird, is launching a new research project aimed at building new knowledge on how vessels can be designed to better harness the potential of modern wind propulsion systems. Supported by the Swedish Energy Agency, the project, WinPrOVeDD (Wind Propulsion Oriented Vessel Deck Design), will investigate how vessel design affects the efficiency of wing sails and other wind propulsion systems. In a statement issued yesterday (8 October), Wallenius Marine, which will lead the project, highlighted that previous research shows that conventional vessel designs can significantly limit performance, while a more aerodynamic design can […]