A radical new wind power system is on trial in the waters around Great Britain. Two hundred years ago, these islands produced the most advanced sailing ships in the world. Now, that pioneering spirit is evoked in a new technology that borrows from that past. Down at Southampton Docks, a new take on sailing is taking shape, and it’s on the deck of a very modern nuclear transport ship.
It’s all about wind power. There’s no atomic energy involved, but Nuclear Transport Solutions has leased one of their vessels to another cutting edge technology enterprise. Smart Green Shipping plans to bring a breath of fresh air to maritime logistics. On board the specialist nuclear fuel carrier, they have installed something radical. If you call it a canvas, you’ll be thrown overboard, and the last thing you’ll see is the shining, rigid, aerodynamically elegant “FastRig wingsail”. It doesn’t billow in the breeze.
Adaptive technology
The Pacific Grebe is one of three purpose-built 5000-tonne cargo vessels. It’s part of the fleet of Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited, part of UK government’s Nuclear Transport Solutions, the world’s most experienced shipper of nuclear cargoes. However, the ship is on non-nuclear secondment to Smart Green Shipping (SGS). The renewable marine technology specialists are putting their “FastRig wingsail” through open sea trials in the coastal waters of the UK.
SGS say the innovative technology uses wind power to help propel the ship, potentially reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 30% on a full commercial installation. The wingsail is a lightweight, retractable solution which uses sensors and automated technology to adapt to changing weather conditions, allowing it to deploy and retract as necessary to ensure both fuel efficiency and safety. It’s a rigid sail, with no rigging involved, and a clever set of sensors to help trim the aerodynamics of the unit, similar to the trim on an aeronautical wing.
Installed on any ship
The collaboration between NTS and SGS marks the first time a system like this has been installed on a specialist ship of this kind. These are the world’s first sea trials of the FastRig wingsail and, so far, it’s been plain sailing. “We’re delighted to work in partnership with NTS in pioneering the world first sea trials of FastRig,” said Diane Gilpin, CEO of Smart Green Shipping. “Their ships demand the very highest safety standards and our collaboration shows FastRigs can be installed on any ship.”
Watching from the shore, Solent Stevedores, who provide services throughout the port, have been keen observers of the initial trials.“Developments like this can only be good news for the industry,” said Clive Thomas, their Commercial Director. “Our region is very active in working towards low carbon solutions. As a member of The Solent Cluster working alongside organisations in the Solent towards decarbonising the region, we hope to see more of this type of innovation coming through.”
Change the way all ships sail
Sea trials are already underway. Pacific Grebe has set the FastRig sailwing for a voyage around Great Britain. The ship will be calling at Scottish ports next week to showcase the technology to investors and stakeholders. SGS already has backing from the Scottish government, which is pursuing an aggressive decarbonisation programme of its own.
Harnessing natural resources for propulsion is a big-ticket item for the future of maritime operations. However, Pete Buchan, NTS’s Managing Director of Shipping, recognised that the technology is still at the trial stage. “It’s the first real-world application of this wing and could change the way all ships sail, drastically reducing emissions and fuel usage across the industry,” he said.
