Photo: Deltamarin
Airbus will charter three new-generation green cargo ships for aircraft component transportation. The Chinese shipyard commissioned to build them completed the steel-cutting ceremony for the first one earlier this month, with a three-year deadline for the new fleet.
Last year, Airbus contracted Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) to provide three low-emission RoRo vessels equipped with new-generation sail technology. The ships were designed by Deltamarin and are currently under construction at the CSSC Group's Wuchang Shipyard in China.
These new ships will be among the first to transport aircraft components using wind power and alternative fuel (mainly methanol). In terms of capacity, they provide slightly more than current ships of the same size, with a maximum of 70 containers (40 feet/12 meters each) and six single-aisle aircraft subassembly sets. The ships are designed to carry this Airbus cargo over transatlantic routes with low emission levels.
The estimated goal for 2030 is a drop in emission levels on transatlantic routes of 50% compared to the 2023 levels. To achieve this, the Airbus-chartered ships will use a combination of green fuel and wind power for propulsion.
LDA selected Finland-based mechanical sail company Norsepower to supply the new-generation sail system for these ships. The collaboration was announced at the beginning of this year, and Norsepower described it as "a historical wind propulsion deal." According to the Finnish company's CEO, Tuomas Riski, it's the biggest contract ever made in the mechanical sails market, with a game-changing potential for the wind propulsion industry as a whole.
What's particularly interesting about the Norsepower Rotor Sail concept is that it builds upon a classic concept, the Flettner rotor, bringing it up to date for contemporary shipping. As the name suggests, it's a type of rotating sail: the cylindrical rotors installed on the deck use electric power to rotate, and the rotating sails then produce a powerful thrust as a result.
One of the most innovative features of these particular rotor sails is the custom-designed Norsepower Sentient Control (NPSCTM) tool for real-time control. An industry-first, this tool enables individual control of each rotor, doubling as an efficient system for energy savings reports.
The Airbus-chartered vessels will each be equipped with six Norsepower Rotor Sails that are 35 meters (115 meters) tall. Additionally, they will use Wartsila dual-fuel engines for hybrid propulsion. The dual-fuel engines will run on both conventional maritime diesel and methanol. All three ships will also be fitted with waste heat conversion systems and an advanced routing system that will further optimize efficiency. During the long Atlantic crossings, this software will be used to avoid drag (due to challenging sea conditions) and use wind power in the most efficient way.
The new low-emission ships for carrying Airbus aircraft subassemblies are set to enter service in 2026.
These new ships will be among the first to transport aircraft components using wind power and alternative fuel (mainly methanol). In terms of capacity, they provide slightly more than current ships of the same size, with a maximum of 70 containers (40 feet/12 meters each) and six single-aisle aircraft subassembly sets. The ships are designed to carry this Airbus cargo over transatlantic routes with low emission levels.
The estimated goal for 2030 is a drop in emission levels on transatlantic routes of 50% compared to the 2023 levels. To achieve this, the Airbus-chartered ships will use a combination of green fuel and wind power for propulsion.
LDA selected Finland-based mechanical sail company Norsepower to supply the new-generation sail system for these ships. The collaboration was announced at the beginning of this year, and Norsepower described it as "a historical wind propulsion deal." According to the Finnish company's CEO, Tuomas Riski, it's the biggest contract ever made in the mechanical sails market, with a game-changing potential for the wind propulsion industry as a whole.
What's particularly interesting about the Norsepower Rotor Sail concept is that it builds upon a classic concept, the Flettner rotor, bringing it up to date for contemporary shipping. As the name suggests, it's a type of rotating sail: the cylindrical rotors installed on the deck use electric power to rotate, and the rotating sails then produce a powerful thrust as a result.
One of the most innovative features of these particular rotor sails is the custom-designed Norsepower Sentient Control (NPSCTM) tool for real-time control. An industry-first, this tool enables individual control of each rotor, doubling as an efficient system for energy savings reports.
The Airbus-chartered vessels will each be equipped with six Norsepower Rotor Sails that are 35 meters (115 meters) tall. Additionally, they will use Wartsila dual-fuel engines for hybrid propulsion. The dual-fuel engines will run on both conventional maritime diesel and methanol. All three ships will also be fitted with waste heat conversion systems and an advanced routing system that will further optimize efficiency. During the long Atlantic crossings, this software will be used to avoid drag (due to challenging sea conditions) and use wind power in the most efficient way.
The new low-emission ships for carrying Airbus aircraft subassemblies are set to enter service in 2026.
Google News