After a night of intensive work and a brief rest, George Thompson, founder of GT Wings, was back on the main deck overseeing the operation of the 20-meter-high mast developed by his innovative startup. “We haven’t had much sleep over the last few days,” Thompson remarked, as he observed the shipyard workers in their white helmets and fluorescent vests, making last-minute adjustments just hours before departure.
“This is very high-tech,” said Martin Harrop, GT Wings’ product manager, while gesturing to the striking white and red structure on the cargo ship’s bow in Hull, northeastern England.
Much like other wind propulsion systems, this mast functions similarly to a vertical airplane wing, capturing the wind to propel the ship forward. However, what makes it unique is the internal fans that accelerate the air passing through the mast, boosting the ship's speed.
"There was a gap in the market for a new type of technology," explained Thompson, a sailing enthusiast. "One that could generate significant thrust in a more compact form." GT Wings, founded three years ago, has since attracted investment from both private backers and the British government, which contributed £3.7 million ($4.8 million) as part of its maritime decarbonization program.
The company now employs nine people, many of whom have backgrounds in the America's Cup and Formula 1 racing, with expertise in aerodynamics playing a key role in their design and development.
However, bringing this project to life within a year proved challenging. The ship's structure had to be modified with an additional nine tons of steel, over 7.5 kilometers (4.5 miles) of electrical cabling was installed, and space had to be found for the new AirWing system.
“We had a very limited space on the ship’s bow to install the wing without disrupting its operation,” said Simon Merritt from Carisbrooke Shipping, the owner of the Vectis Progress, the cargo ship in question.
To address visibility issues, the ship was fitted with navigational cameras, radar systems, and updated navigation lights.
In the first phase of the project, the company managed to reduce fuel consumption by eight percent, with further fuel savings of up to 10 percent expected.
“This ship operates on transatlantic routes between Europe and Canada, and we aim to capture even more wind on these longer journeys where wind conditions are typically stronger,” Merritt noted. With fuel prices fluctuating, Carisbrooke estimates savings of up to $1,000 per day in fuel costs.
This groundbreaking wind propulsion system is one of just around 80 vessels worldwide using similar technology, according to Thompson. He is hopeful that new European regulations requiring a reduction in the carbon intensity of ships will further boost the appeal of such innovations.
The International Maritime Organization aims to achieve carbon neutrality in the maritime industry by 2050, with measures expected to be unveiled in April to support this goal.
Lise Detrimont, head of the Wind Ship Association, a group focused on maritime wind power, noted, “The industry was slow to adopt, but the number of wind-powered installations is expected to double each year in the coming years.”
