Driving forces behind wind propulsion converge

“Standardisation is needed to hold the wind of change in propulsion,” explains Gavin Allwright of the International Windship Association. “The technology is no longer a leap of faith.”

“Newbuild orders for multiple ships have helped anchor wind propulsion as a key solution in the decarbonisation effort. But to build the momentum it deserves, there must be established standards for verifying fuel savings and emission reduction claims. This will ensure that the industry can trust and adopt these technologies, both for retrofitting existing ships and new builds.
The belief in the technology was demonstrated recently when the UK’s Union Maritime said it plans to install wind drives on 34 newbuilding tankers due for delivery between 2025 and 2027.
Similarly, France’s Louis Dreyfus Armateurs ordered three ro-ros with six wind propulsion systems per vessel for delivery in 2026.
Mitsui OSK Lines of Japan has indicated that six of its bulker newbuildings and one multipurpose vessel for delivery over the next 12 to 18 months will have wind propulsion devices installed, growing to 25 vessels by 2030 and 80 ships by 2035.
There are currently 41 large commercial ships over 400 gt with some form of wind propulsion installed, 11 wind-ready ships and another 10 traditionally rigged small cruise ships.

Doubling

This number will double by this time next year. By mid-2026, it will double again, taking us well above 100 wind-powered ships. In many market segments in the sector, such as bulkers, tankers, ro-ros and general cargo ships, a critical mass will form around this time.
However, there are still some headwinds. Wind propulsion systems vary in size and application and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Predictable scheduled services offer more consistent performance validation compared to tramping vessels, even though routing and weather forecasts have become increasingly reliable.
There is a need for standardisation, performance benchmarks and third-party validation, all of which help to discourage investment, and these are increasingly needed to make the technology segment scalable.
Over the next 12 to 18 months, much of the current work being done in these areas will bear fruit.
We are also seeing an increase in the number of primary wind energy vessels, with four between 400 and 1,000 gt commissioned this year and three larger ones on order and under construction, among many other vessels.

Market drivers converge

Four converging winds have the potential to drive the industry forward. When we talk about the Four Winds, we usually mean dispersion or diffusion, but in this case, the four winds driving these developments are converging. These are robust technological developments, a growing demonstration fleet, emissions regulations and a profitable business case.
These winds are beginning to coalesce and form the basis for a perfect storm that is likely to erupt around 2026. From a technology perspective, there are several wind propulsion systems on the market – and there are many more in the pipeline.
Designs, materials and rigs are being refined and optimised after adding up hundreds of thousands of operating hours and thousands of port calls. As for demonstration projects, seeing and experiencing ships with wind support and primary wind in operation is highly influential.
The other two winds are intertwined: regulation and the strong business case. Although the industry is supported by artificially cheap fossil fuels, using a free, abundant and globally available energy source still makes economic sense. This is because the technology used to harvest wind pays for itself.
Moreover, economies of scale and market competition between technologies are already starting to bring costs down, which will eventually reduce prices in the market. In the past, low fuel prices and lack of regulatory incentives were the headwinds, but now rising fuel prices, the need to decarbonise and regulatory incentives are strengthening the business case.’

Source: Tradewindsnews.
Image: Jetmarine.

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