[imagesource: Michelin]

In recent years, the shipping industry has been grappling with ways to reduce its environmental impact.

Some of the solutions are pretty high-tech, like carbon-capture systems and crewless cargo ships, whereas others hark back to a simpler time.

The world’s first sailing ships date back more than five millennia (that’s 5 000 years in simple terms), with ancient Egyptians traversing the Nile using wooden oars and assistance from the wind.

With the arrival of steam and diesel engines, sails were given the boot. They’re now making a comeback as the industry looks at ways to decarbonise, but with some noticeable improvement.

CNN reports:

Tall, white and puffy, the giant inflatable sails designed by tire manufacturer Michelin more closely resemble the Michelin man — the company’s mascot — than a traditional cloth sail. Made from a flexible material that the company would not reveal, the sails can inflate or deflate at the push of a button. No crew is required to rig them, and they pivot automatically to catch the wind, equipped with sensors that measure the wind direction and speed.

Intended to be retrofitted onto existing cargo ships, the sails will work alongside the ship’s engine, reducing its overall reliance on fossil fuels. Michelin estimates fuel savings could be as high as 20%.

Benoit Dailliez, project leader for the company’s wing sail mobility project (WISAMO), says that as regulations around carbon emissions righten, the demand for green alternatives will increase.

Dailliez went on to say that he likens the sails to wings, with the fact that they can be installed on existing merchant ships making the technology all the more appealing to the mass shipping market.

I’m sure South African industry leaders like local freight logistics experts Berry & Donaldson will be keeping a close eye on developments on this front.

Anything that can improve their services, which range from handling airlines, shipping companies, and customs-related processes through to warehousing, insurance, and cargo deliveries, will be welcomed.

Michelin’s design is still a long way from fruition, but work is well underway:

The company has already tested a 1 000-square-foot version of the design on a 40-foot yacht in Switzerland’s Lake Neuchatel.

Dailliez says the next step is to test a larger version, ranging in size between 3 000 and 5 000 square feet, on a cargo ship in 2022.

After that, they will begin full-scale production.

UK-based BAR Technologies is also making headway on this front, securing a contract with US shipping giant Cargill to retrofit its “WindWings” onto a bulk cargo ship chartered by the company by 2022.

Mad to think that 2022 is only a few months away. Not to sow terror, but the Christmas carols start playing in shopping malls soon.

[source:cnn]