France-based wind propulsion developer Airseas has issued the first pictures and video footage (see below) of its automated kite system Seawing in flight during ongoing transatlantic sea trials.
The company has completed initial trials, which are taking place on the 154 m roro Ville de Bordeaux, as it transports aircraft components between Europe and the US.
, as it transports aircraft components between Europe and the US.The vessel is operated by Louis Dreyfus Armateurs and chartered by Airbus, Airseas’ minority shareholder and launch customer. A team of Airseas engineers is on board to test the system and gather data, with the operational support of LDA’s crew and Airbus’ transport and logistics department.
The footage shows the Seawing system in action, flying 200 m above sea level, harnessing the power of the wind to propel the vessel and reduce the main engine load. The solution, which can be installed on virtually any type of commercial vessel, aims to slash fuel consumption and emissions by an average of 20%.
Airseas said the first stages of the sea trials have validated key steps such as the folding and unfolding of the wing, take-off and landing, and flights in altitude. The next phase will test the Seawing in a broader range of weather conditions and fine-tune the automation system.
In addition to the first system on the Ville de Bordeaux for Airbus, Airseas has also received firm orders from Japan’s K Line for five Seawing systems, with additional options to equip up to 51 vessels in total.
Vincent Bernatets, CEO of Airseas, said: “Seeing the Seawing in action on a commercial vessel is such a proud moment for us, and the culmination of years of meticulous research and development. Testing a brand new technology in real-life conditions and while respecting the operational constraints of a commercial ship is an ambitious endeavour, and the solid progress of our sea trials is a testimony to the dedication of our team of engineers on board and on shore.
“With these strong initial results, we’re more determined than ever to keep testing the system and collecting data, and accelerate our mission to scale up and rapidly deploy wind propulsion technology on vessels around the world.”
