German company wants to add kites to cargo ships – the return of the Schooner?

Published on December 5th, 2006

This idea is wacky enough to work. Deploying and recovering the “sail” would appear to be the hard parts.

It won’t replace propellers, but an oversize paraglider-shaped kite could help cut fuel costs for ocean-going vessels as it also reduces their emissions. The airborne gear, from a Hamburg, Germany-based company called SkySails, has been tested on smaller ships over several years and now is being fitted for a cargo ship from Beluga Shipping, headquartered in nearby Bremen. The maiden voyage for the 130-meter MV Beluga SkySails is expected in 2007.

It works for windsurfers, why not ships?

12 users responded in " German company wants to add kites to cargo ships – the return of the Schooner? "

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# 1 Todd Henkel said, on December 5th, 2006 at 6:39 am

These types of innovation need to be encouraged and tried more. Reducing oil dependency would help so many critical things in this world. Not everything may be a resounding success, but who knows what might help until we try?

# 2 Juan Cardona said, on December 5th, 2006 at 6:42 am

Well well well… after two centuries of coal and oil, we go back to the old trusty sail… isn’t this ironic??

# 3 JimR said, on December 5th, 2006 at 7:24 am

Fantastic Idea! The kite is ancient, but the airfoil design is modern high tech application. I love it!

# 4 Mark Derail said, on December 5th, 2006 at 8:17 am

It doesn’t work if going against a headwind.

I saw over 10 years ago, an idea where they put a huge aircraft wing perpendicular to the ship, that rotates 360 degrees.

Part sail, part wing, works with tailwinds, headwinds. Basically a tapered, teardrop shaped sail made of composite materials.

Similar numbers of $ savings. Who else saw this?

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# 5 Stu Mulne said, on December 5th, 2006 at 8:30 am

Mark:

I’ve seen a bunch of such schemes over the years. The “sail” idea is the first that I recall that was essentially a throwaway (disregarding the cost of the sail, rope, and deployment gear), requiring only minor modification to the vessel.

While it definitely won’t work with a headwind, ships tend to travel “back and forth” and even one-way would be useful.

The issue mainly may be the size of the sail required to be of value v.s. the costs. I think it might be a bit expensive….

‘Course if you go to masts and multiple sails, it’s another story. At which point “tacking” against the wind would be a solution.

Somebody was testing a sort of cylindrical sail a while back that would generate power regardless of the wind direction. It was not intended to be a source of direct propulsion, but to generate energy to drive the normal screw propellers. I wonder how much drag that would generate v.s. the power produced, and it has to be large and is very definitely “mechanical” v.s. just a sail, but….

Regards,

Stu.

# 6 widgethead said, on December 5th, 2006 at 8:31 am

#4 I saw this in Popular Mechanics and supposedly there were ships in the gulf coast of the USA using it.

# 7 moss said, on December 5th, 2006 at 8:52 am

The America’s Cup challenge was won by Sail America — with a rigid sail. It’s slowly working its way through the sailing world — the cargo types, you have to remember, will keep their clanky rustbuckets going till they sink.

I have one old friend — a retired cop — who’s been earning his living sailing freight from island to island in the Caribbean for thirty years. He ain’t making a lot of money; but, it’s a clean and adequate living.

# 8 Ballenger said, on December 5th, 2006 at 9:21 am

Not only is the sail concept interesting, I bet seeing the fabrication, installation and deployment would be a great experience as well.

# 9 Gig said, on December 5th, 2006 at 9:22 am

He’s hauling the wrong freight.

# 10 Roc Rizzo said, on December 5th, 2006 at 11:04 am

Sails are going to be the wave of the future.
The only problem with sailing, is that you have to use more brain power to sail a boat, than to motor.

And there’s nothing like sailing. Nothing but the wind powering your vessel. No noisy motor, no smoke.

It was used in the past, I am sure it will come back in, and it will not be long until we see the Sloops sailing on the Hudson River again!

# 11 Paul Flowers said, on January 7th, 2007 at 10:03 am

I work with an organisation called the Sail Transport Network, and am currently in the process of refitting a Grand Banks Schooner with the intentions of hauling fair-trade coffee to the US and organic flour to Central America. You can check out what we’re doing at
http://argusthewatcher.zaadz.com and
http://www.culturechange.org/sail_transport_network

With oil prices rising as supplies disappear, I feel the only way to maintain regional and international shipping and commerce is by sail.

# 12 Paul Flowers said, on January 7th, 2007 at 10:06 am

correction on STN website…

http://www.culturechange.org/sail_transport_network.html

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