The Shipping Industry Gives the Sailboat a Next Generation Update
The Vindskip's revolutionary shape could slash cargo shipping CO2 emissions by 80 percent.
Cargo ships running their engines 24 hours a day over thousands of nautical miles account for three percent of global C02 emissions. The “Vindskip” could demolish those numbers.
In an interview with Ship Technology, Norweigan designer Terje Lade explained how the ship's hull had been designed to double as a sail. Between its ability to harness wind energy and a liquified natural gas engine, the Vindskip is a breakthrough in green design.
"We have found that we can carry the same cargo — perhaps a little bit more — with the Vindskip saving on about 60 percent of fuel. It also reduces CO2 emissions by about 80 percent; NOx by 90 percent; and SOx by 100 percent," Lade said.
The boat — the name literally translates to "Windship" — is still in its conceptual stages but Lade hopes to have a commercialized model on the water by 2019.
And while traditional sailing ships would have to avoid turning into the wind, Vindskip can not only sail into the wind itself but onboard software analyses the forecast and predicts the best route around weather patterns. Best of all, the process produces no sulfur, which acidifies the water and keeps shrimps and crabs from forming shells.
Well done, Lade. May the wind be at your back.
