Eco-Friendly Wind Mast Heads to Canada to Slash Emissions

A groundbreaking rigid shipping mast has embarked on its inaugural voyage, utilizing wind power to carry a cargo ship from England to Canada while significantly reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

After a night of preparation and a brief rest, George Thompson, the founder of GT Wings—the startup behind the innovative 20-meter-high mast—returned to the main deck of the ship.

“We’ve been running on little sleep lately,” Thompson remarked to AFP, surveying the shipyard crew in white helmets and neon vests who were making last-minute adjustments just hours before departure.

“This technology is cutting-edge,” GT Wings product manager Martin Harrop asserted, gesturing toward the impressive white and red structure at the bow of the cargo ship docked in Hull, northeastern England.

This wind propulsion system operates similarly to a vertical airplane wing, capturing the wind that hits its surface to drive the ship forward.

However, what sets it apart are its internal fans, which accelerate the airflow through the structure, thereby increasing the ship’s speed, as Harrop elaborated.

America’s Cup and Formula 1 Insights

“There was a clear demand for a novel type of technology,” stated Thompson, an avid sailor. “One that can generate significant thrust while being much smaller and more compact.”

Since its establishment three years ago, GT Wings has garnered investments from private backers as well as the British government, which contributed £3.7 million (approximately $4.8 million) as part of its initiative to decarbonize the maritime sector.

The company now employs nine individuals, including veterans of the America’s Cup—a prestigious sailing competition—and professionals from the Formula 1 racing industry.

“The aerodynamics and scientific principles behind the America’s Cup play a vital role in our project,” Thompson emphasized, noting the influence of motorsports and Formula 1 as well.

However, launching the project within a year posed its own challenges.

It involved altering the ship’s structure, adding another nine tons of steel, running over 7.5 kilometers (approximately 4.5 miles) of electrical wiring, and finding space for the AirWing.

“We had to fit the wing into a very limited area on the ship’s bow without hindering its operations,” explained Simon Merritt from Carisbrooke Shipping, the owner of the cargo ship Vectis Progress.

To counter visibility issues, the team installed navigational cameras, a radar system at the bow, and navigation lights, Merritt said, shielding his eyes from the winter sun.

Fuel Efficiency Achieved

In the initial phase of the project, the team successfully reduced fuel consumption by eight percent.

The goal now is to reach a ten percent reduction in fuel usage for the vessel.

“This ship operates on transatlantic routes between Europe and Canada, and we expect to capture more wind on these longer voyages where winds tend to be stronger,” Merritt stated.

Given current fuel costs, Carisbrooke anticipates savings of nearly $1,000 daily on fuel expenses.

This project is among approximately 80 vessels worldwide that utilize this type of wind propulsion system, according to Thompson.

He is optimistic that upcoming European regulations requiring ships to lower their carbon intensity could make technologies such as the AirWing increasingly attractive.

The International Maritime Organization is aiming for carbon neutrality in the maritime sector by 2050 and is scheduled to propose measures to support this goal in April.

“The industry has been somewhat sluggish in its progress,” commented Lise Detrimont, head of the Wind Ship association, a specialized group focused on maritime wind power.

“Nonetheless, we expect the number of wind-related installations to double annually in the coming years.”