[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/12393\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EWinds of change \u2013 the new tech steering commercial shipping towards a more sustainable future \u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn August 2023, a five-year old cargo ship, Pyxis Ocean, made history when it set sail from Shanghai, China, heading towards the southern Brazilian port of Paranagu\u00e1. A journey of nearly 25\u0026nbsp;000 km.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat was historic about the journey was that, instead of running solely on heavily polluting bunker fuel, the Pyxis Ocean would be the first ship of its kind to supplement fuel power with wind power. It was testing out the pioneering\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.bartechnologies.uk\/commercial-ships\/windwings\/\u0022\u003EWindWings\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Csup\u003E\u00ae\u003C\/sup\u003E \u2013 37.5-metre-high, foldable steel and fibreglass\u0026nbsp;\u201csails\u201d able to harness energy from the wind to propel the immense bulk carrier through the water.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBack to the future\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDesigned by the UK company BAR Technologies, built by Norway-based Manta Marine Technologies and fitted in China to a ship chartered by international company Cargill, WindWings\u003Csup\u003E\u00ae\u003C\/sup\u003E are the result of an ambitious international collaboration \u2013 the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/955286\u0022\u003ECHEK\u003C\/a\u003E project \u2013 that received funding from the EU to help commercial shipping chart a course towards a lower carbon future.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018It was quite a challenge at the time,\u2019 said Suvi Karirinne, director of the Vaasa Energy Business Innovation Centre (VEBIC) at the University of Vaasa, Finland, who coordinated the endeavour.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003EThere is no silver bullet technology for maritime.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003ESuvi Karirinne, CHEK\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Cem\u003EPyxis Ocean\u2019s\u003C\/em\u003E maiden journey provided the first real-world test of WindWings\u003Csup\u003E\u00ae\u003C\/sup\u003E \u2013 and an opportunity to assess whether a return to this traditional method of propelling ships could be the way forward for moving cargo at sea.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn May 2024, DNV Maritime Advisory, an internationally recognised certification and testing authority, confirmed that when sailing in favourable conditions, the two WindWings\u003Csup\u003E\u00ae\u003C\/sup\u003E installed on the Pyxis Ocean reduced the energy consumption of the main engine by 32% per nautical mile.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe WindWings\u003Csup\u003E\u00ae\u003C\/sup\u003E technology is expected to be widely adopted over time and is already set to be incorporated into 20 new vessels lined up for installation in 2025 and beyond.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECleaner shipping\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs much as 90% of the world\u2019s goods and raw materials are transported by sea \u2013 which is not as clean a means of transportation as one might think. A loaded container ship can burn as much as 150 tonnes of heavy fuel per day, which is unsustainable from an environmental perspective.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShipping is a major source of carbon emissions \u2013 around 2% of the global total, according to the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.iea.org\/energy-system\/transport\/international-shipping\u0022\u003EInternational Energy Agency\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;In April 2018, the International Maritime Organization agreed to reduce\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Eemissions\u003C\/em\u003Eby at least 50% by 2050 compared with a 2008 baseline.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo help achieve this goal, CHEK experts have been working together to come up with innovative design solutions that could be integrated into existing commercial vessels.Their ultimate goal is to create zero-emission vessels by synergistically combining different options.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESynergistic integration\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team of experts set out to integrate a range of different technologies and concepts into two vessel types: a bulk carrier and a cruise ship. Some of these designs were tested in real-world conditions on the Pyxis Ocean and a passenger cruise ship belonging to MSC Cruises, a global cruise line company.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy harnessing the synergies between different\u0026nbsp;operational, power supply and drag reduction technologies, they have come up with a range of solutions that can be adapted for use in\u0026nbsp;other vessel types such as tankers, container ships, general cargo ships and ferries.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProposed innovations include, among others, hydrogen powered engines, ultrasonic anti-fouling devices and advanced route planning systems that consider the prevailing atmospheric and maritime conditions to provide the most energy-efficient route.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf applied together, the CHEK experts believe that the advances they have developed and tested could reduce ships\u2019 energy use by 50% and their greenhouse gas emissions by 99%.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018There is no silver bullet technology for maritime decarbonisation,\u2019 said Karirinne, who believes that the progress can best be achieved through the\u0026nbsp;integration of both new and already existing innovative technologies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EImproving efficiency\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Shipping needs to reduce its emissions,\u2019 said Anders \u00d6ster, research manager at W\u00e4rtsil\u00e4, a Finnish engineering company. \u2018That\u2019s why we need to find solutions to make ships more efficient, and to decarbonise their propulsion.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to taking part in CHEK, \u00d6ster coordinated another international research project called\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/857840\u0022\u003ESeaTech\u003C\/a\u003E, which also received funding from the EU to improve the efficiency of commercial shipping.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe SeaTech research, conducted between 2020 and late 2023, included both shipping companies and academic partners such as the University of Southampton in the UK, the National Technical University of Athens and the University of Troms\u00f8 in Norway. It developed two key technologies that can be retrofitted to existing ships and thereby have a rapid impact on the sector\u2019s emissions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWave power\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInspired by the movement of whales and dolphins through water, the researchers attached a dynamic underwater wing, similar to the front fins of a hammerhead shark, to the front of the 10-metre-long model ship.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe wing, which harnesses wave power to help drive the ship forward, was tested both in wave tanks and in the Aegean Sea. The researchers found that it generates thrust, particularly in choppy seas, allowing engines to reduce their output.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018These wings take the energy from waves and thrust the ship forward,\u2019 says \u00d6ster. \u2018They also stabilise the ship\u2019s movements.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003EShipping needs to reduce its emissions.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EAnders \u00d6ster, SeaTech\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition, the SeaTech team used sensors and software to control the combustion process in a ship\u2019s gas-powered engine, improving its efficiency.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Compared to diesel engines, our gas engine emitted one-third less CO2,\u2019 said \u00d6ster. The two innovations work particularly well together, he says, because the engine control software can respond quickly to the same conditions that determine the power output of the wings. The result is more than the sum of its parts, says \u00d6ster.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018One plus one equals three when we combine these technologies. By taking different technologies and combining them, we strengthen their performance.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers found that, taken together, the two technologies could reduce diesel-powered ships\u2019 CO2 emissions by 46%.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEconomic advantage\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe next challenge will be to persuade the shipping industry to adopt these innovations. Karirinne believes the results will speak for themselves.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlthough the shipping industry can be quite conservative, according to Karirinne, it is also very competitive. In addition, the extension of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/climate.ec.europa.eu\/eu-action\/eu-emissions-trading-system-eu-ets_en\u0022\u003EEU\u2019s Emissions Trading System\u003C\/a\u003E (EU ETS) in January 2024 to cover CO2emissions from all large ships has provided further impetus for change.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe expects that CHEK technologies will be welcomed by shipping operators as they can significantly reduce costs thanks to reductions in fuel consumption \u2013 and thus CO2 emissions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018These technologies aren\u2019t just attractive because they reduce emissions, there\u2019s also a societal and economic need for them,\u2019 she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe rate of adoption will depend both on the perceived economic advantage and on how easily the respective innovations can be implemented. It may be some time before all cargo ships are fitted with giant sails, but SeaTech\u2019s engine developments are being retrofitted to ships already.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Shipping is considered a hard-to-decarbonise sector,\u2019 says Karirinne. \u2018But we have shown examples of how to do it. It is possible, and there are options. We just need to use them.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EResearch in this article was funded by the EU\u2019s Horizon Programme. The views of the interviewees don\u2019t necessarily reflect those of the European Commission. 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