Some shipowners have already invested in Sky Sails’. The 15m long and 3.5m wide former pilot transfer boat Kapitän Mussehl, now renamed Jan Luiken, has been used for tests. The simple towing system involves flying an attached automatic kite or parachute-type sail of 20m2-40m2 ahead of the ship. It has taken four years to develop the system and its makers say it could halve fuel costs on cargo ships. If it was used regularly, up to 150 million tons of CO2 could be eliminated, 1-2% of the world’s emitted green house gases, the company says.

Sky Sails founder Stephan Wrage was quoted as adding that, as far as speed was concerned, using the system could mean higher speeds than reached with a conventional diesel engine. He estimated that as many as 40,000 cargo ships would be suitable for installing the auxiliary wind power system, which is operated by autopilot when aloft and obtains optimal and stable wind conditions at about 500m.

Sky Sails for yacht would be on the market from 2006 and for cargo ships from 2007, Henning Kühl told MJ. It is hoped that by 2013 a minimum of 1.5% of the world's merchant fleet and about 250 luxury yachts could be using the sail propulsion system. The Sky Sails system for yachts, including control pod and launch and recovery system, costs €150,000 and the cost would be recouped by cargo ships in 3-5 years said the makers.

by TOM TODD