How wind tech hopes to help decarbonize cargo shipping

While Karen’s work is hyper-local, it is part of the International Maritime Organization’s global plan to reduce freight-related emissions to net zero by 2050. Much of the IMO effort has focused on replacing gasoline with alternatives such as ammonia, methane, nuclear energy and hydrogen. And something the Marshallese people have long relied on: wind power. This is only one option on the table, but without the role of wind propulsion, the industry cannot decarbonize quickly enough to meet IMO targets, explain Christian de Bucralpolitical anthropologist and author Trade Winds: Shipping’s Journey to a Sustainable Future. “If you think about time, wind is essential,” he said. Research shows Deploying wind power on ships can reduce the shipping industry’s carbon dioxide emissions by 20%.

“The role of wind energy is to effectively remove some of the uncertainties, such as the volatility of fuel prices and the cost of any carbon pricing scheme that the industry might adopt,” Debocral said. The IMO is technology-agnostic, meaning it sets targets and security standards, but let the market find the best way to achieve those goals and safety standards. A spokesman for the organization said wind propulsion was one of many avenues being explored.

The sails can either provide full power for the ship or supplement the engines to reduce fuel consumption for large bulk carriers, oil tankers and the ro-ro ships used to transport aircraft and cars around the world. Modern cargo sails come in many shapes, sizes and styles, including wing sails, spinner sails, suction sails and kite sails.

“If we have five and a half years of experience, isn’t that a no-brainer?” said Gavin Allright, secretary general of the International Sailing Association.

Older cargo ships equipped with new sails can harness wind energy to provide up to 30 percent of their power, while cargo ships designed for wind energy can rely on wind power for up to 80 percent of their needs, Allright said. Which combination of sail models is most effective.

“There are a lot of variables involved,” he said – from the size of the boat to the captain who pilots it. The 50th large ship equipped with wind-harnessing technology will set sail in October 2024, and he predicts offshore wind power will boom in early 2026.

hard wing

One of the more popular designs for cargo ships is the rigid sail—A rigid wing-like structure placed vertically on top of a container.

“It’s very much like an airplane wing,” says Niclas Dahl, seabirdis a Swedish company that developed these sails. Each has a main damper and a damper, creating a room where the outside wind speed is faster than the inside wind speed. In an airplane, that difference would create lift, but in this case, it propels the ship forward, Dahl said. The wings are rigid, but they can rotate and adjust to catch the wind depending on its source, and they can fold and retract close to the boat’s deck as the boat approaches the dock.