The wind-powered vessel’s first voyage, which will be from Singapore to Brazil, has begun. This is a significant milestone in the field of ecological shipping and represents one of the most ambitious projects in this field.
The Pyxis Ocean ship is vital to the maritime industry’s decarbonization challenge. Its most outstanding feature is the WindWings system, an innovative technology that uses rigid sails as a propulsion system. This makes it possible to use the power of the wind, significantly reduce CO2 emissions and promote more sustainable maritime transport.
The big ships return to sailing
The development of this system was carried out by Yara Marine, Cargill and BAR Technologies. The Mitsubishi Corporation ship has two sails up to 37.5 meters high that use the wind for propulsion.
This project is of great importance and has technology that has been developed over several years. In addition, it is supported by Cargill, one of the largest shipping companies in the world. According to those responsible, WindWings sails will make a significant contribution to reducing CO2 emissions by 30% over the life of the ship.
According to calculations, WindWings can save around 1.5 tons of fuel per WindWing per day on an average global route. In addition, there is an opportunity to save even more on transoceanic routes.
The voyage, which can be followed on VesselFinder, is registered under number 9798856. It flies the flag of Singapore and is 229 meters long. According to the plans, he is scheduled to arrive in Brazil on September 15, a month after his departure.
The success of the trip is not guaranteed
The ship’s current speed is about 12.4 knots, but the success of the voyage is not guaranteed. Jan Dieleman, president of Cargill’s shipping division, warns that this bet is risky and there is no guarantee it will work.
Wind and sails have long been the main means of propulsion in ships. Today, however, large cargo ships rely on steam and diesel engines. These modern systems enable greater efficiency and transport capacity.
“I predict that by 2025 half of all new ships will be wind powered. The reason I’m so confident is the savings: a ton and a half of fuel per day. If we equip a ship with four wings, we save six tons of fuel and 20 tons of COâ‚‚ per day. The numbers are huge‘ explains John Cooper, director of Bar Technologies to the BBC.
Cargill has an ambitious goal with WindWings: not only to implement them in their own fleet, but also to make them available to the entire industry. The company plans to build hundreds of these sails over the next four years.
With information from: