The premier cargo shipper Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. is adding more wind power punch to its current roster of cargo ships because a 20% reduction in fuel efficiency for a two-day upgrade is nothing to scoff at. In addition to a prior order, the company has just ordered three more Seawing sails from Airseas. Even better, from the standpoint of reducing carbon emissions, K Line plans to use artificial intelligence to extract even more clean energy from centuries-old seagoing technology.
FUEL SAVINGS OF 20% FOR A TWO-DAY RETROFIT! If the term Airseas seems familiar to you, it’s probably because of its affiliation with renowned airplane manufacturer Airbus. Last October, when CleanTechnica pointed out that Airseas was created by former Airbus engineers, the company went under our radar (for the record, it is also funded and supported by Airbus, the EU, and other partners).
A huge, kite-like sail that has recently been tied to the deck of the Ville de Bordeaux, a roll-on/roll-off vessel commissioned by the top aircraft maker Airbus, is the newest addition to the expanding panoply of wind-assisted technology for cargo ships, we added.
According to Airseas, retrofitting a ship with a Seawing sail only takes around two days, and owners may expect seeing a speedy return on their wind power investment. About 20% of fuel is typically saved.
If you’re wondering why one sail would yield such a large return, Airseas offers an answer. The sail performs differently from a sail fastened to a mast, more like a kite on a string.
They note that Seawing flies dynamically on a figure-on-8 trajectory at over 100km/h, generating 10 times more traction power than a static kite or sail, and that Seawing flies at an altitude of over 200m to harness steadier and stronger winds.
The outcomes in actual use can differ. The corporation specifies a minimum savings rate of 10% and a maximum savings rate of 40%.
No one is hoisting anything in relation to the sail’s operation.
With the stroke of a button, Seawing is fully automated and uses automation technologies from the aviation industry. Airseas claims that it is easy to use, operated from the bridge, and requires little training for workers to deploy and operate, which is significant given that the whole maritime industry is experiencing a manpower shortage. An additional piece of equipment that takes up crew time and attention is the last thing a cargo ship captain needs.
FOR MORE WIND POWER, MORE AI This is only the beginning. It appears that K Line has ambitious plans for its wind power endeavor. Given that the term “Capesize” refers to the largest cargo ship for hauling products in bulk, the company’s initial order of two Seawings for two of its Capesize bulkers was a bold one.
Despite not sailing until December, K Lines’ first Capesize Seawing must be confident in its return on investment. The company has signed a technology development agreement with Airseas and ordered three smaller post-Panamax bulkers ( three more Seawings ) in addition to doing so. As part of this agreement, artificial intelligence will be used to integrate other ship operations with wind power.
According to K Line, AIRSEAS and K LINE have inked a technology development agreement for the efficient use of the Seawing’s traction power that is based on renewable energy. By combining K LINE’s ship operational technology with Kawasaki Integrated Maritime Solutions and AIRSEAS’ Seawing development technology, the agreement’s specific goal is to maximize Seawing’s performance.
When K Line and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd Group revealed that they were developing K-IMS as an advanced vessel operation and performance management system in 2016, that is when the K-IMS angle first surfaced.
The new Optimum Navigation System added more operating and navigational data to the K-Lines’ pre-existing Ship Performance Analyzing System and Engine Plant Monitor.
The ability to use real-time vessel operation data, or “Big data,” in other systems is made possible by integrating these separate systems, according to K-Line. We can also support vessel operation and manage vessel performance easily by understanding real-time vessel operating conditions, choosing the safest route, tracking the most recent vessel performance, and other things through our newly developed data browsing system.
They said that operating teams, ship management firms, and boats may all use K-IMS. As a result, it will significantly increase the efficiency of vessel operation and management in addition to improving navigational safety and reducing fuel costs.
The Artificial Intelligence-Based Marine Machinery Operation Support System, commonly known as the System, was the centerpiece of a co-development agreement that K-Line and Kawasaki Heavy Industries announced last year and is what would power future autonomous ships.
Keep reading for more information on that. According to K-Line, expectations for autonomous operations for ships are increasing these days due to safer operations at sea, an improved working environment for seafarers, and increased demand for industrial competitiveness.
WHERE DO CARGO SHIPPERS GO FROM HERE Seawing is just one of many ways that wind energy is being put back to use in the shipping sector. Recent developments in sail technology for racing yachts include rigid sails that function like airplane wings and pipe-shaped, vertical sails that spin.
WISAMO, an a sort of puffy wing sail produced by Michelin that first appeared last fall, is one variant that slipped through CleanTechnica’s eye.
In an interview with two Swiss inventors who shared the Group’s all-sustainable vision, Michelin’s Research and Development department created the WISAMO idea, which takes its name from the first two letters of the phrases Wing Sail and Mobility.
The sail is intended for use on the majority of boats, both commercial and recreational.
Ro-Ro ships, or ships suited to transport cars and other rolling stock, appear to be the first to benefit from the new wind power scheme. Michelin and Compagnie Maritime Nantaise agreed to install a prototype version on the MN Plican Ro-Ro earlier this year.
By the end of this year, they plan to have their wind-powered ship operating between Spain and Great Britain.
The WISAMO wing will be tested in genuine commercial marine navigation circumstances as a result of this installation, aiding in the industrial development stage of the new technology. The collaboration agreement may allow for experiments utilizing a larger wing sail if the tests are successful, which would be a significant step toward decarbonizing maritime transportation, according to Michelin.
Along with Michel Desjoyeaux , a renowned sailor, Michelin has been putting a prototype through its paces.
Despite the fanfare, wind power hasn’t yet had much of an impact on the shipping industry. However, progress is being made swiftly. In the near future, although not entirely, wind power might contribute significantly to the decarbonization of the marine sector. Batteries and fuel cells are also on the list, along with green ammonia fuel and other heavy diesel fuel substitutes with fewer carbon emissions.
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Airseas sent this image of cargo ships using wind energy.
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