SIMIC

Gary Howard | Jul 20, 2022

The Airseas Seawing is a wind propulsion technology, essentially an advanced kite that flies 300 metres above sea level, using the pull of the wind to propel the vessel. By reducing engine loads, Seawing systems aim to improve fuel efficiency and cut emissions by 20%.

The systems will be deployed starting in December 2022 with installation aboard a capesize bulker; the second system is due to be installed on an LNG-fuelled newbuild under construction at Nihon shipyard, and the three latest orders are for post-panamax bulkers.

Related: $5.3m wind propulsion optimisation project gets underway

K Line has signed a 20-year deal with Airseas which includes options for Seawing installations on up to 50 of the owner’s ships.

Airseas said its Seawings system can be deployed, operated and stored at the touch of a button, requiring minimal crew input.

Related: International Windship Association granted IMO consultative status

Vincent Bernatets, Co-Founder and CEO of Airseas, said: “K Line recognises that ships being built now will need to meet the decarbonisation standards of the 2040’s and 2050’s, as regulators and customers step up pressure for the industry to decarbonise. Wind propulsion systems like the Seawing help lay the long-term foundations for the sustainable shipping of the future by reducing emissions right now, in addition to delivering a strong return on investment in the short term via fuel savings.”

Michitomo Iwashita, Managing Executive Officer of K Line, said: “We have adopted an ambitious net-zero GHG emissions target by 2050, and deploying technologies such as wind propulsion which is a key component of our strategy.”