Wallenius Marine wants to build ships around the wind
Swedish shipping firm Wallenius Marine will explore how ships can be better designed to harness wind power, rather than simply retrofitting conventionally designed vessels with wind-assisted propulsion systems.
IMAGE: Concept of Way Forward vessel with wing sails. Wallenius Marine
The research project will run from 2026 to 2029 and examine how a vessel's shape and deck layout influence the performance of wing sails and other wind propulsion technologies.
Project partners include AlfaWall Oceanbird, a joint venture between Alfa Laval and Wallenius Lines. The project is supported by the Swedish Energy Agency.
“We firmly believe that wind will once again become a primary source of energy for shipping,” said Urban Lishajko, head of ship design, newbuilding and innovation at Wallenius Marine.
“To make that possible, we need to consider the vessel and its propulsion system as a whole. We need to design the ships of the future around the wind, rather than simply adding wind technology to vessels developed for a fossil-fuel era,” Lishajko added.
Researchers will use computer simulations and wind tunnel tests to identify design changes that could improve aerodynamic efficiency and allow ships to draw more of their energy from wind.
The findings will be published as design guidelines for shipowners, shipyards and naval architects.
The initiative builds on Wallenius Marine's existing wind propulsion efforts. Last month, the shipowner ordered a wind-assisted propulsion system (WAPS) retrofit for its LNG-capable dual-fuel vehicle carrier from technology firm Oceanbird. The retrofit is scheduled for 2027.
By Konica Bhatt
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