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Hi-tech sail will tackle emissions at sea

GT Wings A computer-generated image of a cargo ship sailing through the sea. Towards the bow is a tall sail-like structure which is white and red. White streaks have been drawn to show how the wind flows over the sailGT Wings
A computer-generated image of the Airwing on a ship

A hi-tech sail aimed at reducing shipping emissions could soon be fitted to thousands of vessels.

The Airwing is being assembled by engineers in Hull, and sea trials are due to begin this spring.

Developers say it can cut a ship's fuel consumption by up to 30% and produces 10 times the thrust of a conventional sail.

On a visit to Hull to see the project, Maritime Minister Mike Kane said: "Maritime is one of the hardest areas to decarbonise and that's why I am here today to say that it can be done."

A man wearing a suit, a hard hat and a yellow hi-vis vest stands on a dockside
Maritime Minister Mike Kane on a visit to Hull to view the Airwing project

The project received £3.7m of funding after winning a government competition aimed at creating green jobs and boosting skills.

The hi-tech sail works by sucking in air and using fans to boost the power of the wind flowing through it.

It can be added to new ships or retrofitted in order to improve fuel efficiency.

The Department for Transport is funding a number of schemes as part of a £30m plan to decarbonise the maritime industry.

Kane praised the team behind the Airwing and added: "I'm proud to see this funding boost growth and create jobs throughout the UK."

A group of people wearing hard hats and hi-vis vests standing on a dockside looking at a large tube-like structure. A ship is in the background
The Airwing prototype is being built in Hull

A prototype of the Airwing is being assembled by MMS Ship Repair, an engineering company based in the city.

Managing director Rob Langton said it was a prestigious project to be involved in, and it would lead to new skills and create jobs.

"The are vast opportunities with this, and I am sure that once the technology has proved itself there will be many ships it can be fitted to," he said.

George Thompson, chief executive of GT Wings, which developed the technology, said the sea trials were only a few weeks away.

"There is real industry backing for this technology because it can save emissions [and] costs, and it can be retrofitted," he added.

GT Wings A computer-generated image of a cargo ship sailing through the sea at dusk. The camera looks from the stern towards the bow, where there is a tall sail-like structure, which is white and redGT Wings
How an Airwing could look like when fitted to a ship

The shipping industry is a significant contributor to carbon emissions.

The International Energy Agency estimated that in 2022, shipping accounted for about 2% of global energy-related emissions.

Mr Thompson, who said the shipping industry had a target to be net-zero by 2050, said the Airwing could be fitted to 40,000 vessels – half of the world's total.

"The UK is really leading the [shipping] industry in this, so it's an exciting time to be bringing innovation into this space," he said.

Sea trials for the Airwing are scheduled to begin in March, when one will be fitted to a vessel owned by Carisbrooke Shipping and used on routes between northern Europe and Canada.

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