YSA Design reveals sail-powered cruise ship concept

Norwegian architect firm YSA Design has unveiled the design concept for a sail-powered catamaran cruise ship.

PHOTO: YSA Design’s sail-powered catamaran cruise ship concept. YSA Design

A catamaran cruise ship is a vessel designed with two parallel hulls, offering stability and spaciousness.

Dubbed the Seabreeze, the vessel will be installed with four 50-metre-long foldable sails to harness wind power for propulsion. It will also feature engines capable of running on bio-methanol to meet auxiliary power demand and provide power for propulsion when wind conditions are unfavourable, YSA Design claims.

Bio-methanol refers to methanol produced from renewable sources such as biomass, biogas or captured carbon dioxide.

Wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS) have been gaining popularity among shipowners as they help to improve vessel fuel efficiency.

A UK-based tanker operator, Union Maritime, recently announced plans to equip two of its new LR2 tankers with rigid sails. Similarly, German cement transportation company Baltrader Capital inked a deal to install a rotor sail on its latest cement carrier.

Also last month, Singapore-based shipping company Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) and Tahitian shipping company SNA TUHA’A PAE (SNA) placed orders for suction sails with Spanish wind-assisted propulsion technology developer bound4blue.

By Tuhin Roy

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