On 8 February 2021 Windship Technology, a British company with a whole-ship solution to tackle the CO2 emissions of the shipping industry, unveiled its designs and announced an investment partnership with one of the world’s leading classification agencies.
Technical Director Simon Rogers and his design team developed and tested at the renowned Wolfson Unit in Southampton the company’s patented high performance, highly efficient triple-wing rig.
The technical team further developed a new diesel electric ship drive system that eliminates CO2, NOX, SOX and particulate matter to True Zero while also incorporating large solar arrays, carbon capture, optimised hull shapes and specialised weather routing software into the overall design package.
The triple-wing rigs produce a driving force several multiples greater than single masted solutions of the same height currently being promoted in the industry.
The 48m Windship Technology rig is stowable on deck through a unique, innovative stowage solution to aid port navigation and cargo handling.
Its composite structure is borne out of technology and design from the wind turbine industry, ensuring reliability and longevity of greater than 25 years.
Professor Philip Wilson, formerly Professor of Ship Dynamics at the Ship Science Department at the University of Southampton, is convinced by Windship Technology’s solution:
“The holistic approach demonstrated in this solution whereby wind power, solar power and the reduction of harmful exhaust emissions to effectively zero, are all brought together, means that at last there is a design solution that the International Maritime Organisation can champion to achieve its requirements for ‘at least’ zero carbon shipping.”
The company announced a significant partnership investment with the international registrar and classification society DNV who will be conducting both an outside-in and inside-out verification to fully assess Windship Technology’s whole-ship design with a view to classifying emission reductions, safety and operability.
