Saturday September 8, 2012, 7:40 pm
A recent article about the rise of wind-powered designs for cargo vessels notes that, "If the world’s shipping fleet were a country, it would be the world’s sixth leading emitter of greenhouse gases." So there is lots of good to be done with improving the efficiency of cargo ships. And a number of companies are taking steps in that direction.

At the University of Tokyo, researchers are working on a design for a ship that uses rigid framework and fiber-reinforced plastic instead of canvas for sails. These high-tech sails can be flown, much more like an airplane wing, increasing the efficiency with which they propel the ship. And, when the vessel reaches port, the sails telescope down upon themselves, to allow free access to the decks and cargo without the interference of masts and sail rigging lines getting in the way.

Among the companies working to commercialize wind-powered cargo, B9 Shipping has recently tested a model of their 3,000 ton vessel. Although this is far smaller than the largest cargo freighters, which can have more than 100 times the cargo capacity, it is a first step in developing the technology and proving its financial viability.

When we wrote about B9 in 2010, the expected cost of the prototype vessel was just under $25 million. The New York Times is now reporting that the company is seeking $45 million in financing to build their prototype. (This may not be an entirely equal comparison, since the financing the company is seeking may include more than just the capital construction costs for the ship.)

Many of these vessels will not be solely wind powered, even at sea. Not unlike automobiles, where gas-electric hybrids first broke down boundaries and showed the workability of alternative systems, these ships will also be hybrids. B9 plans to use engines that burn bio-methane instead of fossil fuel as a secondary propulsion system.

Saturday September 8, 2012, 7:49 pm
Thanks Michael - Powered by the wind with no nasty emissions. - Brilliant!

Sunday September 9, 2012, 2:53 am
They look visually not good as the ancient ones for sure.

Sunday September 9, 2012, 3:21 am
Two years ago:
B9 Shipping Ltd is developing the design of a 3,000 dwt coastal sailing vessel that is fitted with a spark ignition main engine designed to burn bio-methane. About 60% of the thrust will come from soft sails utilising the offshore wind resource (zero carbon emissions) and 40% will come from the engine (carbon neutral).

The free standing and free rotating Dyna-rig system, originally designed in the 1960's by Wilhelm Prolls, has been chosen as the sailing rig and the biogas will be produced by the anaerobic digestion of food waste and other commercial and industrial organic waste streams by B9 Organic Energy. The biogas is processed to give bio-methane and when this is liquefied it exhibits all the characteristics of LNG so that off the shelf equipment for storage and handling of LNG can be used.
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZJRDJQOqlc&feature=player_embedded

Sunday September 9, 2012, 3:27 am
Here's an article I posted last year: "Wind-Powered Cargo Ships Make a Comeback"
http://www.care2.com/news/member/140535861/2735878

Sunday September 9, 2012, 12:45 pm
noted thanks !