BAR Technologies (BARTech) and naval architects, Deltamarin, are collaborating to optimise the hull designs of big commercial ships.
In announcing their new research partnership, BARTech and Deltamarin said above deck there have been great strides in design that harness the potential of wind propulsion.
The next frontier, recognised in their partnership, is to complement this with hull forms modified specifically to maximise wind power.
Progress they noted toward maximum efficiency depends upon full consideration of variable factors, such as the type of vessel and the route it is taking.
To get closer to the best solution in general, they believe more research must be completed on how performance can be improved under the water’s surface.
They have jointly developed the designs for a new Aframax/LRII design.
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BARTech had previously developed the WindWings, a rigid sail technology, and working with Deltamarin developed designs for the first installations.
The company has projected that the installation of WindWings would allow operators to save 1.5 tonnes of fuel per WindWing per day, on average global routes.
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“With this new hull design, BAR Technologies and Delatmarin’s early predictions suggest that as much as 10 tonnes of fuel per day can be saved with an Aframax/LRII hull and four WindWings using a North America/Rotterdam roundtrip as an example,” the companies reported.
John Cooper, Chief Executive Officer of BAR Technologies., said: “Wind is the free fuel, and it is the gauntlet laid down in front of innovators like ourselves to work out how we can displace fossil fuels with wind power.”
He predicted that the Aframax/LRII design developed with Deltamarin would be the first of many as they work to accelerate efforts to achieve decarbonization for commercial shipping.
