Airseas, a tech company based in France, says it has successfully deployed an automated ship kite on a commercial vessel. The installation, according to Airseas, is a significant step forward in the implementation of wind-assisted technologies to reduce shipping emissions.
The main “Seawing” framework was introduced onboard the roll-on/roll-off transport Ville de Bordeaux, which is sanctioned via Airbus and possessed and worked by Louis Dreyfus Armateurs. The boat, which is utilized to ship significant airplane parts among France and the United States, will start conveying the 500 square meter Seawing on its month-to-month transoceanic journeys beginning in January 2022, with a half year of ocean preliminaries and testing prepared of its full activity.
Airseas says it has gotten formal endorsement from leading classification society Bureau Veritas to start operations at sea, following three years of close cooperation on the turn of events and early preliminaries of the Seawing.
Established by previous Airbus engineers, Airseas brings aptitude from the aeronautical area, including computerized twin and mechanization innovation, to the maritime industry in the midst of mounting strain to decarbonize. Seawing can be securely conveyed, worked and put away at the press of a button, and can be retrofitted on a boat in two days, the company says.
Airseas’ standard Seawing, a 1000m2 parafoil, would fly at an elevation of 300 meters, to tackle the force of the breeze to impel the vessel. In view of demonstrating and starter testing ashore, Airseas gauges that the Seawing framework will empower a normal 20% decrease in fuel utilization and ozone-depleting substance discharges, as indicated by the organization.
“This first installation marks a significant milestone not only for Airseas, but also for wind and other renewable propulsion technologies in general,” said Vincent Bernatets, CEO and Co-Founder of Airseas. “Given the urgency of the climate crisis, the world needs to see a drastic reduction in carbon emissions now. In shipping, we can achieve this by using the full set of tools we have available to us today. Wind propulsion is one of these and will play an essential role in helping shipping achieve its much-needed decarbonization transition.”
The installation of Airseas’ Seawing on Louis Dreyfus Armateur’s Ville de Bordeaux – with formal approval from @BV_Marine to begin operations at sea – represents a significant milestone in #shipping’s pathway towards a more #sustainable future.
Watch the installation ⬇ pic.twitter.com/1WDt5allST— Airseas (@Airseas_Tech) December 17, 2021
Laurent Leblanc, Senior Vice President Technical and Operations at Bureau Veritas Marine and Offshore, said: “This important milestone follows three years of close and fruitful collaboration on the development and early trials of the Seawing, supporting Airseas’ safety-first approach and validating the reliability of the system. As a class society, Bureau Veritas has a key role to play to support safe innovation, and this is why we have developed comprehensive rules on wind propulsion systems earlier this year. At BV, we are dedicated to help the maritime sector navigate the challenges of the energy transition, and we fully believe that wind propulsion technology represents a key opportunity to start decarbonizing the maritime sector immediately.”
