Sailing towards climate goals

Bertrand Charrier worked with the late Jacques Cousteau to develop a revolutionary sail. But the time for it was not yet ripe. Now, he argues, there is simply no time to waste.

Bertrand Charrier is a champion of simplicity. Sitting in a comfortable chair overlooking the rolling fields of the French countryside, he offers candid observations supported by a mix of common sense and scientific expertise.
He believes that the maritime industry will not meet its ambitious climate goals if it continues on its current trajectory of technological innovation and deployment. The global production and consumption system needs to change. Much can be done now to reduce emissions. And, crucially for this conversation, we already have a green energy source that, with more awareness and application, could transform the industry’s environmental performance. Moreover, it is free.
“But we make it too complicated,” he says with a nod to arguments about competitive fuels, systems and supply chains in the future, “when sometimes the solutions are right here. Right in front of us. Now.”

The Cousteau connection

Bertrand Charrier is a name within a niche. To the informed few, this personable, passionate doctor of physics is something of a legend.
Now he is a partner at Bound4blue, known for its autonomous eSAIL suction sail technology. Before that, he was head of innovation at the French Development Agency (AFD), Senior Vice President of environmental non-governmental organisation Green Cross International and a member of the Cousteau Society team for 15 years, where he worked closely with the late great man himself on research and development.

Turbosail

The result was a breakthrough they called the Turbosail. This was a vertical cylinder with aerodynamics similar to that of an aircraft wing to create lift/force, and a shutter and fan system to draw in air for greater efficiency. In testing, the thrust coefficient produced was three to four times that of Marconi sails, making it a hugely attractive and cost-effective green propulsion solution.
“In 1985, the Cousteau Society launched the new ship Alcyone,” says Charrier, “with two Turbosails to complement a diesel engine. It was a huge success. On this basis, Captain Cousteau and I discussed how innovation could transform shipping, working together with existing propulsion systems to drastically reduce fuel costs, emissions and consumption.”
“After the fuel crisis in the late 1970s, we thought the way was clear for adoption. But as we all know, by the mid-1980s, the price of fuel dropped sharply and with it the desire within the industry to consider alternative solutions.” […]

Optimising benefits

“Let’s look at what we can do now,” emphasises Charrier. “You can optimise ships’ hulls to reduce drag and fuel consumption (air bubble/cavity systems are promising here), and ‘slow steam’, where a reduction of one or two knots makes a big difference in energy consumption and emissions. There is a range of measures and I think we need to approach the problem as a jigsaw puzzle, fitting solutions together for optimal impact.”
Wind, he laughs, could be one of the central pieces.
Charrier joined Bound4blue about two-and-a-half years ago to share his technical knowledge of Turbosail with the ambitious young team. Using the technology as a foundation, the company has developed the concept into the turnkey eSAIL suction sail, which is suitable for both retrofit and new build projects across a wide spectrum of industry segments. […]
“With the suitability of the system for such a wide variety of vessels, we see huge potential here. For the company of course, but more than that for the industry and the transition we have to make.”

Profit

“In an era of changing regulations, such as the advent of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme and the dynamic nature of CII ratings for example, the pressure and cost of compliance is increasing. There is a real incentive to find alternatives. And then, of course, there are the fuel costs themselves in an increasingly competitive industry. All in all, this results in a convergence of commercial and environmental interests.
Charrier, however, is far from naive. He knows that wind is not for everyone, not for all vessel operations, but he maintains that, especially with a better understanding of weather routing and optimization, a surprising number of owners – especially in deepwater segments – could reap huge benefits.
“We have a green, efficient, cost-effective solution that is now ready to help the industry achieve its goals,” he concludes. “We have to realise that we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. We can look back to move forward and rediscover the huge potential of wind energy. Let’s keep it simple. It’s time to set sail.”

Read the fuller article on Maritime Propulsion‘s website.

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