Michelin, in partnership with Compagnie Maritime Nantaise, has for the first time installed an inflatable wing sail prototype aboard the container ship MN Relican. Installation of the system will allow Michelin to test the 100 square meter WISAMO sail in real conditions on board a commercial vessel that will sail between the UK’s port of Poole and the Spanish city of Bilbao.Fuel savings of $1 trillion by 2050
If the trials are successful, a larger prototype sail will be installed, making it a big step towards reducing the carbon footprint of both commercial and recreational vessels. The automatic sailing system is suitable for dry bulk carriers, gas carriers and tankers and can be installed both on a ship under construction and on a ship already in service.
The system is fully automatic and can be folded when passing under bridges or in port. It is estimated that the new technology will help reduce a ship’s fuel consumption by 20 percent by utilizing wind energy. Wind sails draw attention in the maritime industry as one of the solutions that can increase the efficiency of ships and save 1 trillion dollars in fuel by 2050, if such systems are installed on all commercial vessels.
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