The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has formally confirmed that the International Windship Association (IWSA) has been granted full consultative status at the regulatory body. This will help bring wind-assist and primary wind propulsion issues to the fore as the wind technology segment continues to grow and the industry looks to this abundant, emission-free energy source to help propel the commercial fleet into an uncertain, tightly carbon-constrained future.

It is a critical period for the industry with EEXI and CII regulations coming into force next year and the challenging discussions over carbon levies and raising the decarbonization ambition for 2050 on the table in London. It is with this backdrop that wind-assist systems and primary wind propulsion vessel designs will be scaled into the fleet over the next couple of years.

“At the thirty-second regular session, the IMO Assembly endorsed the decision of the thirty-fourth extraordinary session of the IMO Council to grant consultative status to the International Windship Association (IWSA). We look forward to a close working relationship between our two organizations,” states Frederick J. Kenney, Director, IMO Legal Affairs and External Relations Division

IWSA is a not-for-profit organization that has over 150 members from across the industry and brings with it an extensive network of specialists, technology providers, designers, engineers, and operators that will be vital if we are to ensure a level playing field is applied for all renewable energy sources in the drive to decarbonize shipping.

The IWSA is joined by four other organizations, making up the first intake granted consultative status since 2019 and these include; the Grain and Feed Trade Association (GAFTA), Global TestNet, the Ballastwater Equipment Manufacturers’ Association (BEMA), and the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC).

Gavin Allwright, IWSA Secretary General comments; “We are delighted to be granted consultative status and of course acknowledge that there is plenty of work to be done to reach our shared goals of a safe, clean and prosperous maritime transport sector. We also acknowledge that this status comes with a level of responsibility to keep the IMO and the flag states up-to-date with key developments in this specialist technology sector.”

 

The IWSA has already been contributing to IMO programs over the past three years through a seat on the Maritime Technology Cooperation Centres Stakeholder Advisory Committee.

The most recent MEPC 77 also saw amendments to the assessment of wind propulsion with the adoption of the circular 896, ‘Guidance on Treatment of Innovative Energy Efficiency Technologies for Calculation and Verification of the Attained EEDI and EEXI’ backed by Comoros, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Spain, Netherlands, and RINA

However, as Mr. Allwright continues; “There is still quite a perception gap when it comes to the uptake of wind propulsion. Currently, we have more large commercial vessels in operation using wind propulsion systems than all zero-emission fuel options combined and the signs are there for this to scale strongly in the coming years and yet there is a distinct lack of integration of direct wind propulsion at the heart of our industry’s efforts to decarbonize.

The direct use of wind energy has great potential to quickly accelerate these efforts while also helping to lower costs dramatically across the board and facilitate the uptake of other low carbon energy and fuel options.” 

International Windship Association (IWSA)

Facilitates and promotes wind propulsion solutions for commercial shipping worldwide and brings together all parties in the development of a wind ship sector to shape industry and government attitudes and policies.

IWSA is a member-driven, not-for-profit association made up of wind propulsion technology suppliers and ship development projects, shipping lines, shipbuilders, designers, naval architects, engineers, academics, NGO’s and Class with five main areas of activity:

Network – grouping like-minded organizations and individuals sharing ideas, skills, technical and market information for the development of commercial wind ships.
Promote – promoting the economic value of wind propulsion to the industry
Educate – acting as a central information hub for the wind propulsion sector, ship owners and operators, shipyards, ports, governments, equipment producers, the media, NGOs, and the wider public.
Incubate – securing funding streams, project collaboration, grant applications, research, and the pooling of resources.
Facilitate – establishing common approaches/criteria for all stages of project development, support stakeholders, advise and lobby legislative bodies on policies, activities, funding, and incentives required to retrofit existing ships and build new commercial wind ships.