An ambitious project to develop a hybrid car carrier with four sails capable of transporting up to 2,000 cars has moved a step closer.
Classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) has joined the Quadriga sustainable shipping project – an initiative from Hamburg-based Sailing Cargo, which aims to build the world’s biggest sailing cargo ship.
The project aims to build a 170 m long car carrier, capable of carrying between 1,700 and 2,000 cars, which will be equipped with four DynaRig masts and will operate on hybrid propulsion with sails and diesel-electric engines, and an optional battery system for peak loads. The vessel will be capable of sailing at 10-12 knots.
“Wind-assisted propulsion offers one of the few realistic options for introducing renewable power into shipping,” LR commented in a release yesterday.
