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Discoverer user mateMB has pointed us to news of Beluga shippings Skysails project to cross the atlantic with the use of a kite. In yesterday’s press release Beluga Group tells us;

M/V Beluga SkySails has successfully completed her maiden voyage on Thursday, 13th of March 2008, when finishing a double transatlantic passage after an about 12,000 sea miles long journey. With 8,000 tonnes of general cargo loaded on board, MV ÒBeluga SkySailsÓ safely reached her port of destination in Mo-I-Rana (Norway), having crossed several areas of adverse weather with winds of up to twelve Beaufort beforehand. In the first phase the vessel had shipped modules for a chipboard plant to Venezuela.

During the premiere of commercial operation that started in Bremen on 22nd of January and via Guanta (Venezuela) and Davant (USA) finally led close to the arctic circle, the 160 square meters large towing kite has been released as often as possible to fly for periods of between a few minutes and up to eight consecutive hours. ÒWe can once again actually sail with cargo ships, thus opening a new chapter in the history of commercial shippingÓ, said Lutz Heldt, master of MV Beluga SkySails

Here is video from the voyage:

Stay tuned for more information from California based kite sails developer KiteShip. In the meantime be sure to take a second look at our previous post:

Skysails - Plus Top 10 Green Ship Designs

The 433 ft long “Beluga SkySails” in an undated image. Turning ocean winds into gold while cutting greenhouse emissions in the process might sound like some sort of alchemy for the 21st century. The ship will make its maiden voyage in January across the Atlantic to Venezuela, up to Boston and back to Europe. It will be pulled by a giant computer-guided $725,000 kite tethered to the mast.

(Source: chinanews.com.cn)

More photos can be found HERE.

Note: We have updated this post in a comprehensive look at Green Ship Propulsion

We are always on the lookout for “green” stories so were pleased when a friend forwarded a link to Skysails, a German based company looking to augment tradition ship propulsion systems with kites.

SkySails tells us:

SkySails is now offering a wind propulsion system based on large towing kites, which, for the first time, meets the requirements of shipping companies.

 

By using the SkySails-System, a ship‘s fuel costs can be reduced by 10- 35% on annual average, depending on wind conditions. Under optimal wind conditions, fuel consumption can temporarily be reduced by up to 50%. Even on a small, 87 metre cargo ship, savings of up to 280,000 euros can be made annually.

They are not the only company trying to harness the power of wind to propel ship, San Francisco base KiteShip.com a maker of kites for sailboats, is also trying expand into the commercial shipping industry.

“KiteShip is also working on marine applications as diverse as towing oil rigs and other large marine structures, diverting icebergs from oil platforms in high latitudes and in autonomous robot towing of relatively safe cargo such as bagged water,liquid fructose and the like.”

Both companies have tested the technology with (according to them) success. gCaptain will be bringing you more on this story in the future, so stay tuned.

Note: We have updated this post in a comprehensive look at Green Ship Propulsion

Here’s a video showing how the system works;

 

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