Nuclear waste tanker tests 65-foot wingsail

As engineers and researchers continue to create new sustainable shipping vessels and alternative fuel sources, some groups are instead looking to improve existing boat designs. One solution could be to equip cargo ships with giant, vertical, wing-like sails that can harness wind energy as their main energy source. The latest example comes from Smart Green Shipping, which recently partnered with the University of Southampton to test its 20-meter FastRig sail. The ship that received this green upgrade was a 5,000-ton cargo ship typically tasked with transporting nuclear waste.

According to A University of Southampton announcement from October 23 this year Pacific Grebe sailed on a three-week cruise around the UK to test the extendable FastRig attachment. Meanwhile, scientists from the University of Southampton are overseeing a controlled sea trial, collecting data on its overall performance in various ocean conditions. Built entirely from recyclable materials, including aluminum, the prototype works similarly to a combination of a sail and a wind turbine, helping to power the massive ship during its journey. Using an autonomous onboard system, FastRig can deploy or retract itself depending on favorable wind conditions around the vessel. Once raised, an array of sensors transmit wind data to the system, which calculates the most effective angles and positions of the wing’s four hinge sections. When weather conditions become unfavorable, the FastRig system can lower and lie flat parallel to the deck of the cargo ship, taking up relatively minimal space.

Typically, the 341-foot-long cart is filled with thousands of pounds of nuclear waste in four specially designed, shielded holds. Single trip on board Pacific Grebe anticipates it will travel as much as 16,000 miles non-stop at speeds of up to 14 knots (16.11 mph). The tanker will not contain any nuclear material during the three-week test.

“The installation of 21st century autonomous sails on commercial ships could immediately reduce energy demand and fuel consumption, reduce costs and, importantly, reduce CO2 emissions,” Joseph Banks of the University of Southampton’s Maritime and Maritime Institute said in a statement on Wednesday. “This technology could be a key part of the difficult transition to zero carbon shipping.”

Banks added that additional real-world validation based on their predictive models will help them calculate exactly how much fuel can be saved by installing multiple full-size 34-meter (111.5-foot) FastRig devices. If all goes to plan, Banks says these wind sails “could be a key part of the difficult transition to zero carbon shipping.”

(Related: The cargo ship’s “WindWing” sails allowed it to save up to 12 tons of fuel per day.)

Meanwhile, Smart Green Shipping CEO Di Gilpin estimates that as much as one-third of global emissions from ocean shipping could be reduced by switching to wind energy systems – a promising prospect as greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise despite extraordinary climate change. The UK Department of Transport has previously estimated that as many as 40,000 similar-sized cargo ships would one day be eligible for wind farm retrofits.

“We need alternative fuels to support global shipping’s transition to zero-emission technology, but the quality, energy density, availability and cost of these fuels are unknown,” she said, adding that she believed wind was a “simple solution.”

The Pacific Grebe is not the first cargo ship to receive similar additions in wind sail technology. Last year Pyxis Oceana pair of 55-meter-tall “WindWing” sails ultimately allowed him to save up to 12 tons of fuel per day during his six-week maiden voyage from China to Brazil. Other companies, including Sweden’s Oceanbird, are building and testing their own wind farm upgrades for freight carriers.