An ingeniously simple idea: the enormously high CO2 emissions from shipping are to be curbed by sailing on cargo ships.
The idea of locomotion is as well-known as it is modern: on the high seas, a wind-powered cargo ship has set out on its maiden voyage. Two sails should support the ship’s engine and save a third of the fuel, said the company Cargill, on whose behalf the “Pyxis Ocean” is underway.
Their sails were developed by the British company Bar Technologies. “If international shipping is to meet its goal of reducing CO2 emissions, innovation must come to the fore,” said its chief executive John Cooper in a statement. The EU supports the project financially.
The maiden voyage is from Singapore to Brazil, as reported by The Telegraph newspaper. “Wind is a near-free fuel and the opportunities to reduce emissions are significant, along with significant efficiency gains in vessel operating costs,” Cooper continued. The two sails are up to 37.5 meters high and can be folded away if necessary. Since they are retrofitted, the aim is to equip more ships with them in the future. According to the company, 1.5 tons of fuel can be saved per sail in one day.
Around three percent of global CO2 emissions are attributable to international shipping. In the fight against climate change, shipping worldwide must reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to zero by around 2050. The members of the World Maritime Organization (IMO) agreed on this decision last month.
Press release Cargill Telegraph report
Source: Stern
