Wind propulsion installations hit 120 ships

According to Gavin Allwright, Secretary-General of the International Windship Association (IWSA), wind propulsion has now been installed on around 120 large vessels with a total deadweight tonnage of over 6 million dwt, and that number is growing.

Speaking to Digital Ship, Allwright said that the sector has now installed at least 250 wind propulsion units on those vessels, with many vessels carrying multiple systems on board.“We are starting to receive repeat orders. We are also taking on fleet orders,” he said. Union Maritime Tanker Company has 34 vessels in its wind-powered programme, of which 10 have been delivered and 24 are still under construction. MOL has publicly announced a target of 25 wind-powered vessels by 2030 and 80 by 2035.

According to Allwright, this growth is the result of years of experience with demonstration vessels. “Seafarers are getting to know the technologies, shipyards are learning how to install them, and all that experience is filtering through to the shipping companies and the entire sector,” he said.

The tanker sector is leading the way in adoption, partly thanks to the amount of deck space available for wind systems. However, high charter rates for tankers have dampened the immediate incentive to reduce fuel consumption, whilst higher bunker prices are sparking interest among bulk carriers, RoRo vessels and general cargo ships.

Valuing wind as an energy source

Regulatory frameworks also influence the business case. Allwright highlighted the EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime, as well as the IMO’s work on its Net Zero Framework.
He said that the IMO framework differs from FuelEU Maritime and the EU ETS because it looks at the carbon intensity of ships rather than focusing exclusively on the fuel.
This is significant for wind propulsion, which, according to Allwright, is often mistakenly regarded as an energy-efficiency measure.
“It may be a fuel-efficiency measure, but it is not an energy-efficiency measure,” he said. “We are supplying energy to the ship.”

This distinction also affects the way in which wind is factored into the calculation of the GFI achieved.
The IWSA has argued that wind is undervalued when its contribution is compared with the energy delivered via the propeller. Fuel loses energy through the engine, the drivetrain and the propeller before it reaches the point of propulsion.

“What we have argued is that you need to relate this back to the braking power delivered by the wind,” said Allwright.
The IWSA has been working with an informal IMO group on guidelines for incorporating wind into the GFI. Allwright said the proposal has received considerable support.
“Our argument has been accepted and is understood,” he said.

The association has developed a four-pronged approach to measuring wind propulsion. This ranges from desktop modelling to sea trials using hindcast data, sea trials using real-time data, and direct measurement of the thrust exerted on the vessel. The approach has been broadly accepted by the IMO, although refinements are still being made.

The economic aspect of the Net Zero Framework is controversial. Wind power could reduce the need for offset units and potentially generate a surplus of units, but the IWSA wants funding mechanisms to be put in place to support wind installations, alongside infrastructure for alternative fuels.
“We should not only use that fund to support the long-term roll-out of alternative fuel infrastructure, but also to promote the systems that are most obvious and can be installed quickly,” said Allwright.

Training standards are lagging behind

Allwright also highlighted the gap between the growing presence of offshore wind power and the development of formal safety and training standards.
IWSA is involved in correspondence working groups on ship design and construction and the training of seafarers. Six classification societies are members of the association and contribute technical expertise to the work.

However, the current guidelines are not binding, and wind propulsion has not yet been incorporated into the legally required STCW training.
That does not mean that crews are operating without training.
“On board, you receive induction training for that particular vessel and for that specific technology,” said Allwright. This covers safety and emergency procedures, danger zones and maintenance requirements. “Induction training is absolutely essential,” he added.

The problem is that the training has not yet been standardised across the entire sector. The IWSA is working on a basic training programme in the form of provisional guidelines, followed by a more advanced course for captains and other crew members.

A new set of safety guidelines, developed in March 2026 in collaboration with the Maritime Technologies Forum, is also intended to help shipping companies integrate wind propulsion into their safety management systems. At the same time, much of the expertise in the field of manufacturing and installation is developing in Asia.
According to Allwright, around half of the vessels currently fitted with wind propulsion were built at Asian shipyards, mainly in China. European companies remain active in research and development, but several IWSA members now have production facilities in China.
Chinese factories are said to already have the capacity for several hundred units, with a potential output of around 500 per year.

Shipyards are also gaining increasing experience with installation. Allwright said that wind systems are increasingly moving away from bespoke projects towards more standardised installations, with some being added to shipyards’ standard equipment lists.
“This reduces costs and, thanks to their experience, they can carry out the installations more quickly whilst maintaining the same quality,” he said.

Systems developed in Asia are also coming onto the market, including MOL’s wing system, CSSC’s developments in the field of rotor sails and wing sails, and systems from other Chinese and Korean companies.
According to Allwright, the combination of fleet orders, shipyard experience, government incentives and a growing technological base means that shipowners are now assessing wind propulsion in a different light.
“Wind must be incorporated into your design process and into your range of technologies for retrofits, because it offers such excellent value for money,” he said.

Source: Vesselperformance.
Image:Green Shipping News.

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