The U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command has recently chartered the M/V Beluga Skysails for over a month long voyage transporting Air Force and Army cargo from Europe to the U.S. This is the first time the U.S. Navy is using a vessel with the sky sails technology.
The 400 ft. M/V Beluga Skysails is the world’s first cargo ship that uses sky sails technology; a new wind propulsion system with a huge towing kite that provides additional thrust for the ship at sea - a sustainable solution for reducing fuel consumption, costs and emissions. It is estimated that a sky sail can reduce fuel consumption by 20 to 30 percent, or roughly $1,600 per day.
When asked of MSC’s choice for choosing the M/V Beluga Skysails: “MSC values innovation that leads to cost savings,” said Navy Capt. Nick Holman, commander of Sealift Logistics Command Europe, MSC’s area command for Europe and Africa. “We are proud to be collaborating with innovators in the commercial maritime world to provide our customers with efficient and quality service.”
MSC operates approximately 110 noncombatant, civilian-crewed ships that replenish U.S. Navy ships, conduct specialized missions, strategically preposition combat cargo at sea around the world and move military cargo and supplies used by deployed U.S. forces and coalition partners.
(source: MSC Website)
You can read more about sky sails technology as well as other green ship designs in gCaptain’s previous post Skysails - Plus - Top 10 Green Ship Designs
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2 responses so far ↓
1 Guest // Oct 14, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Isn't it foreign flagged though?
2 DWsailor // Oct 14, 2008 at 2:33 pm
I love what Beluga is doing with skysails but contracting to a foreign flag for moving defense cargoes is unacceptable. Why doesn't the Department of the Navy just outsource their sailors too? With the slowing economy there are plenty of US companies that could carry their cargo.
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