Sea trials under way for wind-powered sail in bid to cut shipping emissions

Sea trials have begun on a cargo ship testing out a new wind-powered sail in efforts to cut shipping carbon emissions by up to a third.

Scientists from the University of Southampton are experimenting with a new wing-sail which can be fitted to vessels in future to power them across the sea using the wind.

The 5,000-tonne cargo carrier the Pacific Grebe has been retrofitted with the 20-metre FastRig test sail and assessed in the Solent under controlled trials to test the ship’s performance in different conditions.

Dr Joseph Banks, from the university’s Marine and Maritime Institute, said: “Fitting 21st century autonomous sails to commercial ships could immediately reduce energy demands and fuel consumption, lower costs, and, importantly, cut CO2 emissions.

“This technology might be the key component of the challenging transition to zero-carbon shipping.”

The Government, which provided funding for the project, estimates that up to 40,000 ships could use wind power, according to the university.

Di Gilpin, the chief executive of Smart Green Shipping which developed the wing-sail, said it is the “race of our lives” to face the climate and nature emergency, and if all ships who could use wind do so, it would cut a third of shipping’s global emissions.

She added: “Emissions from global shipping are continuing to rise in the face of this emergency.

“We need alternative fuels to support global shipping’s transition to zero-emissions, but quality, energy density, availability and cost of these fuels is unknown.

“There is a simple solution – and that’s wind.”