The Scottish government has detailed today a new round of £1.35m($1.63m) funding for Dumfries-based Smart Green Shipping with the Di Gilpin-led company ready to install its first FastRig (pictured) for land-based testing in June.
Smart Green Shipping is a systems design and engineering company developing unique retrofit sails and technology for sustainable commercial ships.
MOL Drybulk, part of Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines, and Scottish Enterprise are joint investors in the company alongside industry partners at Peel Ports Hunterston Port and Resource Centre (Hunterston PARC).
Smart Green Shipping received a £1.8m grant from Scottish Enterprise last year towards a research and development project with a total value of £5m, match funded by the private sector.
MOL has also been developing its own sail technology in Japan with a maiden voyage featuring one if its hard sails at the prow of a bulk carrier calling in Australia.
Many experts are predicting 2023 will be a breakout year for wind propulsion. In Splash’s annual maritime tech preview, published last month, it was noted how shipping’s initial hesitation to incorporate wind propulsion technology has waned in the last few years as fuel availability and prices pose a growing challenge.
