A scale model of the ship, demonstrating some of the technical ideas produced by the design team, will be a central feature in the Nordic Pavilion at the forthcoming World Expo 2005 in Japan.

Intended to provide a vision of what an environmentally friendly car and Ro-Ro carrier might look like in 2025, the E/S Orcelle has been designed to produce no emissions into air or sea. Making the assumption that affordable fossil fuel will not be available in 2025, it can use renewable energy sources, including the sun, wind and waves as well as fuel cell technology to meet all propulsion and on board power requirements. Solar energy is harnessed through photovoltaic panels in the vessel's three sails, which also help propel the vessel with wind power.

The sails are manufactured using special lightweight composite materials.

Wave power is utilised through a series of 12 fins, which will be able to transform wave energy into hydrogen, electricity or mechanical energy. The fins double as propulsion units, driven either by wave energy or other renewable energy sources on board while the vessel's propulsive power will be provided by two variable speed electric propulsion systems known as pods.

Around half the energy on the E/S Orcelle will be produced by fuel cells, a rapidly developing new technology. These cells will combine hydrogen and oxygen to generate the electricity to be used in the pod propulsion systems and fins while also producing electricity for other uses on board. The only by-products of the process are water vapour and heat.

Cargo carrying capacity has also been optimised, with the ship carrying approximately 10,000 cars, some 50% more than current vessels, while having a similar tonnage. The increased efficiency is achieved through the use of lightweight materials, including aluminium and thermoplastic composites, and also by eliminating the need for ballast water tanks.

According to the IMO, ballast water is one of the main environmental threats to the world's oceans. Wallenius Wilhelmsen proposes to eliminate the need for ballast water by using an innovative pentamaran hull, with a long slender main hull supported by four sponsons, as well as by using the pod electric propulsion system which eliminates the traditional stern propeller and rudder arrangement.

Wallenius Wilhelmsen views the E/S Orcelle project as the start of a longer term programme which it hopes will be matched by other leading shipping companies.

The company has no immediate plans to build a prototype but will continue to work with others to develop the technologies embodied within the concept design so that they do become practical options for car carrier newbuildings within the next 20 years.

MJ Information No: 20423