Revolutionizing Marine Shipping (Part 4)

Marine Shipping is undergoing a major transformation as it seeks to decarbonize. Will wind power be part of the solution?

Continuing where we left off previously …

The Near Future Two other systems are not under commercial development yet but offer a glimpse of what the near future could hold.

5. Hull Form

In this model, the hull of the ship effectively becomes the sail, taking advantage of the windage that exists due to the exposed sides of ships; the ship becomes a wind-assisted airfoil. The science behind the technology is based on the formation of a vacuum on the lee side of a ship which then aids in propulsion by generating pull – much like an airplane wing uses the lower pressure over a wing to generate lift or the sails of a traditional sailboat. The yet-to-be-built ship will rely on software that calculates the best route by factoring in weather and optimal winds. Like most eco-friendly wind-powered ships, the hull form is designed as a supplement to engine power fueled by lower-carbon fuel options like liquefied natural gas.

6. Turbine or Windmill

Windmill turbines are still in the early stages of development for applications on ships. There are no working commercial applications at this time. These might be the most flexible propulsion systems as they could provide stored energy for batteries and generate power for ships in port. As the windmill can be rotated, they are not dependent on the wind’s direction to generate power. Windmills face two key hurdles for use at sea: they are prone to wear out faster than their land-based cousins and they need to sit lower on the ship as they cause some instability due to their height.

With such rapid progressions & advancements in the ever-changing field of technological innovations, Westline Shipping has introduced several revolutionary changes in maritime shipping, which also envelope the faculty of Careers in Merchant Navy, adhered to many new introductions in training for Merchant Navy!