Navigating Towards Sustainable Shipping
The mission to decarbonize the shipping industry hinges on the synergetic qualities of partnerships. This is evident in the recent collaboration between maritime technology giants NAPA, Norsepower, and Sumitomo Heavy Industries. Underlying this partnership is the mutual goal of understanding the potential fuel-saving and emission-reduction capabilities of weather routing and rotor sails on primary trade routes.
The spark that ignited the partnership was a shared vision between Masutani of Sumitomo Heavy Industries and Mizutani. Their common goal was to comprehend how digital transformation and innovative green energy can lead to optimal navigation from a shipbuilder’s perspective, particularly through wind propulsion systems.
Pioneering Green Technologies
With the growing popularity of wind propulsion technologies, the collaborative venture sought to investigate the extent of emission reductions achievable through the integration of wind propulsion and voyage optimization. The findings obtained from the first stage of the initiative have shed light on the possibilities for even greater outcomes in the future.
The shared commitment to a sustainable future among the three collaborators made Norsepower an integral player in pushing the shipping industry towards its carbon-neutral aspirations. As it’s becoming apparent that the duo of voyage optimization and rotor sails are potent tools for curtailing fuel consumption and GHG emissions, the partnership sought to quantify the extent of such potential.
Mapping the Path to Green Shipping
The focus of the study was on the annual voyages across six major trade routes for a SHI-ME tanker. Using up-to-date weather data, the study showed an estimated 19% reduction in CO2 emissions when using NAPA Voyage Optimization alongside Norsepower rotor sails.
Interestingly, the Atlantic route stretching between New York and Amsterdam showed the most potential savings. Here, the symbiotic effects of Norsepower rotor sails and NAPA’s Voyage Optimization calculated an average emission reduction of 28%. This research provides shipowners and operators with a realistic simulation of future ship performance, even ahead of system implementation.
Green Shipping: Phase Two and Beyond
Given the promising results from the first phase of the project, phase two aims to further increase the accuracy of optimal design methodology and voyage optimization models. To refine these models, the data collected from each vessel outfitted with Norsepower Rotor Sails will be analyzed to optimize rotor sail algorithms.
The adoption of fleet data will further enrich the design process of vessels by considering better ways to implement wind-assisted systems. With a focus on designing ships tailored for wind conditions, SHI-ME now considers the ship’s stability under harsh weather, going beyond the conventional static wave calculations.
Wind Propulsion: Sailing into a Brighter Future
The future of wind-propelled shipping is promising, according to Norsepower. The organization is set to increase its Rotor Sail production capacity and eyes fleet-wide installations. As the maritime industry faces increasing pressure to align with sustainable practices, conscientious decisions made today will be instrumental in achieving long-term decarbonization ambitions. In essence, the tools and technologies required to significantly bring down the shipping industry’s emissions already exist. It is up to stakeholders to harness these resources in a bid to realign the industry toward a sustainable future.
