Smart Green Shipping (SGS) has announced the successful completion of sea trials for its innovative FastRig wind-assisted propulsion system, confirming its practical advantages for the maritime industry. The trials, conducted in late 2024 aboard the MV Pacific Grebe (a nuclear waste carrier), demonstrated key aspects of the technology’s readiness for commercial deployment, reports Smart Green Shipping.
Cutting Edge System
Smart Green Shipping (SGS) has announced the successful completion of sea trials for its innovative FastRig wind-assisted propulsion system (WAPS), conducted in late 2024. The trials took place aboard the MV Pacific Grebe, a specialized nuclear waste carrier.
Despite the inherent technical challenges of installing the system on such a unique vessel, the SGS team successfully managed the entire process. They installed the lightweight FastRig dockside using an “easy-on/easy-off” process, conducted intensive sea trials, and then rapidly uninstalled the system. This entire operation was completed to the satisfaction of both the ship owner and the Class Society, on budget and within an impressive eight-week timeframe.
In an industry first, SGS took the significant step of chartering its own vessel specifically for these trials. This allowed for full adherence to the scientifically rigorous International Towing Tank Conference (ITTC) protocols. This approach provided complete and unrestricted access to operational data, enabling a holistic assessment of the vessel’s overall performance and impact, rather than just isolating the performance of the FastRig system.
Key Features
Smart Green Shipping’s (SGS) FastRig wind-assisted propulsion system offers significant advantages beyond its impressive fuel savings. Its design prioritizes operational efficiency and safety, while its commercial viability has now been proven.
Key features of the FastRig include:
- Small Deck Footprint: The system is designed to minimize its impact on valuable deck space, ensuring that it doesn’t hinder cargo operations.
- Automated Operations: Its intuitive automated features reduce additional administrative burden for the crew, making it user-friendly.
- Enhanced Safety: The FastRig is fully stowable on deck, allowing for clear visibility when in port. It also features a radar that independently addresses loss of visibility, ensuring safe operations both at sea (in high or low winds) and in port.
- Cost-Effective Maintenance: The unique design cleverly utilizes commercially available parts, which guarantees that maintenance can be both timely and cost-effective.
When the FastRig is combined with SGS’s FastRoute route optimization tool, the potential for fuel and emission savings can increase by a factor of 1.5, showcasing a synergistic benefit.
SGS’s efforts are supported by notable sponsors, including Drax Group, a major producer and user of sustainably sourced biomass for renewable energy. Mark Gibbens, Head of Logistics at Drax, emphasized the importance of scalable, affordable, and future-proof solutions for sustainability in the market. He highlighted wind as a freely available, renewable energy source that, with providers like SGS, can support the shipping industry’s Net Zero goals and empower cargo owners to reduce their Scope 3 emissions within their supply chains.
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Source: Smart Green Shipping
