As the calls for ‘Action Now’ at COP26 are resonating and world leaders and industry are still grappling with the level of decarbonization ambition, a large group of shipping decarbonization pioneers gathered virtually just across the river, hosted by the Malin group, to celebrate the winners of the Wind Propulsion Innovation Awards which were announced yesterday.

“The awards were created by the International Windship Association (IWSA) to celebrate wind propulsion for commercial shipping, an impactful and ‘ready-to-implement decarbonization solution toolbox for the shipping industry. We need to act quickly, and wind propulsion systems offer a huge opportunity as a ‘no regret technology’ that is compatible with all other fuel choices and vessel adjustments,” says Gavin Allwright, IWSA Secretary-General and master of ceremonies for the event.

In October, the awards received some 84 nominations which were then whittled down to just over 30 shortlisted ones across seven categories by a 27-person shortlisting panel with judges drawn from across the shipping and renewable energy sectors.

In the 17 days of voting, the awards logged over 40,000 votes, and each of the categories attracted a lot of attention and were reportedly tight races. The Wind Propulsion Innovation Award for developers of innovative technology and installations and sponsored by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) was won by Anemoi Marine Technologies and Tufton Investment Management Ltd for the installation of rotor sails on Tufton’s TR Lady with the system to be installed on a rail system to allow cargo operations on the bulk carrier to continue uninterrupted. The Wind Propulsion Technology User Award, sponsored by Thordon Bearings and presented to a company championing the use of wind propulsion through installing systems on ships was snapped up by Vale SA for the five rotor sails installed on the MV Sea Zhoushan, VLOC (Very Large Ore Carrier) 325,000 dwt, which is currently the largest ship in the world to have wind assist systems installed.

In the tightest voting category of the day, the Oceanbird concept took away the Wind Propulsion Projects Award, the category spotlighting innovative projects that are furthering the uptake of wind propulsion, tackling barriers, or developing new technology and hybrid configurations and sponsored by Wärtsilä Marine Power. This concept developed by Wallenius Marine is for a 7000-unit capacity car carrier with primary wind propulsion enabling up to 90% reduced emissions, The project is now being carried forward by a joint venture with Alfa Laval named AlfaWall. Wallenius Wilhelmsen has announced that they intend to order a car-carrier called Orcelle Wind based on this that will be sailing in 2025.

The Small Vessel Award, sponsored by MARIN, was also a very popular category that was won by Advanced Wing Systems which has developed a flat panel morphing, semi-rigid wing sail system which has tried and tested high aerodynamic performance system, and which is reportedly robust and cost-effective for various rig configurations and can be automated.

The other three categories were voted on by the IWSA membership with two research categories, the first one, the Completed Research Award, saw the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA), Kühne Logistics University (KLU) Hapag-Lloyd Center for Shipping and Global Logistics (CSGL), Dealfeng New Energy Technology and Econowind present that to the team behind the EU commissioned report, ‘Study on the Analysis of Market Potentials & Market Barriers for Wind Propulsion Technologies for Ships’.

While the Proposed Research Award was presented by Green Marine, Norsepower and Yara Marine Technologies to Martina Reche Vilanova, North Technology Group for an upcoming research project which will focus on modeling, design, and cost optimization across a wide number of wind propulsion systems. The final award was for Outstanding Contribution to the Wind Propulsion Sector, and the host of the awards stated that this was a “very challenging one to present having worked with or been inspired by all of the nominees”, however, the member’s vote was given to Diane Gilpin, CEO of Smart Green Shipping for her long-standing commitment to wind propulsion and continued advocacy work for the overall technology segment. Diane was there to also receive the award in person.

More details of all of the shortlisted projects and submission videos can be found at https://www.wind-ship.org/en/wind-propulsion-innovation-awards-2021/

The International Windship Association (IWSA),

 A not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the promotion and facilitation of wind propulsion solutions for commercial shipping, facilitates and promotes wind propulsion 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.

Network – create a clear sectoral approach, grouping like-minded organisations and individuals that can share ideas, skills, resources, technical and market information for the development of commercial wind-ships.

Promote – promoting the economic value of wind propulsion to the shipping industry

Incubate – assist in securing funding streams, project collaboration, grant applications, research, and the pooling of resources.

Educate – act as a central information hub for the wind-ship sector, the media, NGO’s, equipment producers, shipbuilders, ports, governments, and the general public. Research papers, press releases etc.

Facilitate – initiating the establishment of common approaches/criteria for all stages of wind-propulsion projects, advising stakeholders and lobby legislative bodies on policies, activities, funding, and incentives required to retrofit, upgrade and the new build of commercial wind-ships.

For further information on membership, sponsorship opportunities and partnering with the association, please check the IWSA website www.wind-ship.org or contact Gavin Allwright, IWSA Secretary  [email protected]

AWARD SPONSORS

ABS, a leading provider of classification and technical advisory services to the marine and offshore industries, is committed to setting standards for safety and excellence in design, construction, and operation. Focused on safe and practical application of advanced technologies and digital solutions, ABS works with industry and clients to develop cost-effective compliance, optimized performance, and operational efficiency for marine and offshore assets. ABS has a commitment to support, promote and develop sustainability-oriented technologies and measures for the Marine and Offshore industry. Wind Assisted and Wind Powered vessels are one of the drivers towards achieving sustainable operations and reducing GHG emissions reductions set by the IMO. 

Thordon Bearings is the leading manufacturer of bearing and shaft line products that eliminate grease and oil from marine equipment – deck/sailing equipment, propeller shafts, rudders, and other shaft line products for the global market. Thordon provides a maintenance-free solution to replace greased bronze bearings, eliminating safety issues when manually greasing bearings in hard-to-reach locations onboard ships. Thordon non-metallic bearings are easily and safely machined; installation is quick and easy. Thordon’s line of zero-pollution products ensures that the merchant marine, workboat, passenger, and Navy & Coast Guard vessels that have our products installed are not discharging oil or grease into the ocean and waterways.

Wärtsilä Marine Power leads the industry in its journey towards a decarbonized and sustainable future. Our portfolio of engines, propulsion systems, hybrid technology, and integrated powertrain systems deliver the reliability, safety, and environmental performance that Wärtsilä’s Smart Marine vision encompasses. We offer our customers performance-based agreements, lifecycle solutions, and an unrivaled global network of maritime expertise. 

MARIN is a globally recognized top institute for hydrodynamic and nautical research, extended with aerodynamics for wind propulsion. Our mission is ‘Better Ships, Blue Oceans’: we stand for clean, smart, and safe shipping and sustainable use of the sea. We do this as an independent knowledge partner for the maritime sector, government, and society. We support the decarbonisation in shipping by doing in-depth and collaborative research into new propulsion, powering, and energy configurations and we continue to improve methods to improve hydrodynamic efficiency, based on our 85-year experience. But we specifically also support wind propulsion in many research projects for the industry as a whole, as well as specific new build and retrofit projects. MARIN, Better ships, Blue oceans

The following three categories will be voted on by IWSA members only. The research categories will be shortlisted using the following general criteria:
(i) Relevance – does the research cover an area of importance/relevance.
(ii) Impact – has/will the research further our understanding/application/uptake of wind propulsion.
(iii)Clarity – are the objective, content, benefits/impact made clear and are easily accessible.
(iv) Stakeholder engagement – level of input/collaboration
(v) Wider Impact – does the submission speak to non-industry/non-academic people – policy makers, cargo owners, the logistics chain, the media, NGO’s, general public.

The Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA), is an internationally renowned professional institution whose members are involved at all levels in the design, construction, maintenance and operation of marine vessels and structures. Members of RINA are widely represented in industry, universities and colleges, and maritime organizations in over ninety countries.

Kühne Logistics University (KLU) Hapag-Lloyd Center for Shipping and Global Logistics (CSGL)  Kühne Logistics University (KLU) founded the Hapag-Lloyd Center for Shipping and Global Logistics (CSGL) under the auspices of Hapag-Lloyd in 2018. The purpose of the CSGL is to combine rigorous academic research with practical experiences and insights in the area of shipping and container transport, to increase the competitiveness of the sector, enhance its sustainability profile and contribute to the development of Hamburg as an international maritime knowledge hub. The CSGL research team focuses on the advancement of shipping and maritime transportation in areas such as digitalisation, sustainability, and the creation of value.

Dealfeng New Energy Technology focuses on marine energy saving and emission reduction products in a decade. The main partners of the company are senior experts and designers in the shipbuilding industry. Dealfeng has developed Flettner rotor sails that are 1M×3M on the 100T test ship and 4M×24M on the ground. Through calculation, Dealfeng rotor sails can reduce 10%-20% fuel and CO2 emissions for ships under different wind conditions. This year, Dealfeng plans to install a 24 meters × 4 meters Flettner rotor sail on a bulk carrier.

Econowind is a Dutch based company, related to HCP and Conoship international, a ship design and engineering office in Groningen. Econowind is fully dedicated to wind-assisted ship propulsion. We developed the eConowind-unit, supported in the form of a subsidy by the European Union and the three northern Dutch counties (SNN) with the VIA funding for regional development. The company offers a series of wind-assist solutions based on the Ventifoil® system which can be fixed to a vessel, deployed on a movable Flatrack system or the eConowind-unit where the ventifoils are placed inside a 40ft container, with the size of the foils not limited to the container size. The Ventifoil® is a wing shaped element using modern innovations in aerodynamics creating high propelling force relative to its size. Smart suction is integrated in the wing, resulting in double the force of the Ventifoil while reefing when needed.

Yara Marine Technologies provides technologies to enable a greener maritime industry. Since 2010, YMT has been a frontrunner in the emissions reduction industry. Today, Yara Marine offers a portfolio of green technologies, such as SOx scrubbers, fuel optimization systems, turnkey shore power solutions, and the cutting-edge, advanced wind-assisted propulsion system WindWings. Yara Marine works with ship-owners, yards, and naval architects as partners in its effort to reduce maritime emissions and drive the change towards a greener maritime industry. Yara Marine Technologies is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with branches in Sweden, Poland, and China. 

Green Marine is a voluntary environmental certification program for the North American marine industry. It is a rigorous, transparent, and inclusive initiative that addresses key environmental issues through its 14 performance indicators. Participants are shipowners, ports, terminals, Seaway corporations and shipyards based in Canada and the United States.  The program encourages its participants to reduce their environmental footprint by taking concrete actions. To receive their certification, participants must benchmark their annual environmental performance through Green Marine environmental program’s exhaustive self-evaluation guides. They also need to have their results verified by an accredited external verifier and agree to publication of their individual results.

Norsepower’s mission is to reduce the environmental impact of shipping through the commercialisation of innovative and modern sail power. Norsepower Rotor Sails provide a reliable and easy-to-operate auxiliary wind propulsion system with a proven savings record. Norsepower Rotor Sails have until today been installed onboard six ships and they can typically reduce fuel consumption and all related emissions by 5-20%.

SHORTLIST JUDGES 

Aleksander Askeland – CSO, Yara Marine Technologies
Andrew Stephens – Executive Director, The Sustainable Shipping Initiative
Bertrand Charrier – Founder, BC Consulting
Bud Darr – Executive Vice President, Maritime Policy and Government Affairs, MSC Group
Carleen Lyden Walker – Executive Director, NAMEPA
Craig Eason – Owner, Fathom World
Daniel Barcarolo – Senior Engineer, Sustainability at American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)
David Bolduc – Executive Director, Green Marine | Alliance verte
David Patraiko – Director of Projects, The Nautical Institute
Dmitriy Ponkratov – Technical Director, Royal Institution of Naval Architects.
Edwin Pang – Chair, Royal Institution of Naval Architects IMO Committee
Frank Berrens – Director, Berrens Maritime
Frédéric Moncany de Saint-Aignan – Président du Cluster Maritime Français
Giovanni Bordogna & Nico van der Kolk – CEO/CTO, Blue Wasp Marine
Grant Gassner – Director of Integrated Systems and Solutions, Wärtsilä Marine Power
Haris Zografakis – Partner, Stephenson Harwood LLP
Helene Smidt – Lead, Maritime Industry Decarbonisation Council, Royal Belgian Shipowners’ Association (RBSA)
IMO Maritime Technical Co-operation Center for Caribbean (MTCC-Caribbean)
John Buckingham – Chief Mechanical Engineer, BMT
Lars Robert Pederson – Deputy Secretary General, BIMCO
Octavi Sadó Garriga – Ship Design Manager, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping
Peter Rae – President, World Wind Energy Association
Ruan Wei, Professor – Head, IMO Maritime Technical Co-operation Center for Asia (MTCC-Asia)
Sara Skold – Project Manager, Clean Shipping Index
Sofia & Conor Fürstenberg Stott – Partners, Fürstenberg Maritime Advisory
Vasileios Kosmas, Dr – Senior Researcher, Hapag-Lloyd Center for Shipping and Global Logistics (CSGL) of Kühne Logistics University (KLU)