A Swedish consortium aims to launch commercially by 2025 a wind-driven car carrier that will emit 90 per cent less carbon dioxide than a conventional roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) cargo ship, it said.
The 200-metre long carrier will have a capacity for 7000 cars and have a maximum height of 105 meters when its five 80-metre upright “wing sails” are fully extended, bringing to mind a futuristic version of the wings of a 19th century clipper.
“This will of course challenge our habits and when this vessel will be in the ocean sailing, it will be an odd bird,” consortium partner Wallenius Marine Chief Operating Officer Per Tunell told an online news conference.
“We are on track to make it possible for launching and putting this vessel in operation for late 2024.”
The consortium said in a statement a North Atlantic crossing would take the ship around twelve days, against eight days for conventional vessels.
“The technology of the wing sails is quite similar to airplane wings,” Wallenius Marine architect Carl-Johan Soder said.
He added that the 90 per cent emission reduction estimate was based on a North-Atlantic crossing at an average speed of 10 knots.
The vessel will have a fuel powered engine for operating in ports and for support when wind is very weak.
Mr Tunell said the vessel would be slightly more expensive than a traditional RoRo carrier of comparable size.
Besides Wallenius Marine, which is controlled by the founding family of the Wallenius RoRo shipping group, the consortium includes Sweden’s Royal Institute of Technology and shipping consultancy SSPA.
The project is co-financed by the Swedish Transport Administration.
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One Response
So, a clean wind powered cargo ship to transport oil guzzling, carbon polluting cars. Seems something of a contradiction her, though a welcome start. Hopefully the Swedes will also come up with electric cars to fill its holds very soon.