Windassist

Sailcargo, sailtraining and wind-assisted ship propulsion

Windassist

Sailcargo, sailtraining and wind-assisted ship propulsion

NewsWASP

New EU project provides tools for wind propulsion

AWESOME is a Horizon Europe project that provides validated tools, standardised methodologies and practical performance data to reduce uncertainty surrounding wind-powered propulsion systems.

AWESOME – Advanced Wind Energy System Optimisation & Monitoring for Efficiency – aims to enable shipowners and regulators to make informed decisions, thereby reducing investment risk and accelerating the adoption of cost-effective solutions for reducing emissions in the shipping sector.

Led by Kongsberg Maritime and supported by 14 European partners, the Horizon Europe-funded project brings together industry, clusters and research institutions to support the transition to low- and zero-emission shipping. AWESOME aims to tackle the technical, operational and regulatory barriers that still stand in the way of the wider adoption of wind propulsion.

Scalable solutions

Through close collaboration with partners from industry, the research community and academia, AWESOME aims to make wind propulsion a viable and scalable solution for reducing emissions in shipping, through real-world validation and greater integration with on-board systems. By combining transparent performance verification with holistic control and automation, the project aims to enable shipowners to comply with emerging regulatory frameworks such as FuelEU Maritime and future IMO standards. This will allow shipowners to delay the transition to expensive low-carbon fuels.

The roll-out of WAPS is being held back by uncertainty regarding performance, costs and operational implications. AWESOME addresses these concerns by providing validated performance data and decision-making tools that bolster confidence in investment decisions.

Full-scale demonstrations at sea

A key component of the project is the use of two full-scale demonstration vessels: one retrofitted vessel and one newbuild vessel. The converted vessel, one of Odfjell’s chemical tankers, will demonstrate how WAPS can be integrated into existing vessels, whilst the newbuild vessel, Neoliner Origin (Neoline), will demonstrate how the technology can be optimised right from the design phase.

Together, these vessels will enable the consortium to validate performance models, test advanced methods for measuring thrust and energy savings, and assess long-term operational behaviour under real-world operating conditions.

Acceptance and regulation

“Europe is currently a global leader in the field of wind-assisted propulsion technologies. The AWESOME project is a significant new step towards strengthening European leadership by pooling public and private resources, thereby ensuring the large-scale implementation of wind-assisted propulsion. This will not only lead to lower emissions but also enable vessels to operate as efficiently as possible using sustainable alternative fuels,” said Jaap Gebraad, Secretary-General of the Waterborne Technology Platform.

AWESOME will also support wider acceptance within the sector by improving the way in which WAPS performance is measured, documented and recognised. At the same time, the project will generate knowledge relevant to crews, operators and future regulatory developments.

About the project

AWESOME brings together 15 leading European partners covering the entire maritime value chain. This broad partnership supports an end-to-end approach, from design and simulation to on-board control, crew training, performance verification and market acceptance.

  • Technology developers and system integrators: Kongsberg Maritime (NO) (coordinator), Syroco (F), bound4blue (ES), Chantiers de l’Atlantique (F)
  • Shipping companies and operators: Odfjell SE (NO), NEOLine (F)
  • Research partners: SINTEF Ocean (NO), SINTEF Digital (NO), NTUA (G), MARIN (NL)
  • Design and engineering: MAURIC (F)
  • Classification and verification: DNV (NO & DE)
  • Centre for decarbonisation and knowledge dissemination: Maritime CleanTech (NO)

Sources: Indexbox and Container News.
Image: Kongsberg Maritime. 

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