Japanese shipping company Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line) has completed the installation of the first Seawing, an automated kite system that harnesses wind power, on a Capesize bulk carrier at the end of 2022, reports Offshore Energy.
The installation was in line with the previously announced schedule, as K Line had been planning to carry out the installation in December 2022.
The second vessel to feature a Seawing will be a newbuild LNG-fuelled 210,000 dwt bulk carrier, which is currently being built at Nihon Shipyard. According to the Japanese shipowner, the installation will follow upon the vessel’s delivery, which is scheduled for 2024.
Seawing installation completed
In July 2022, the company confirmed orders for three additional Seawing systems, bringing to a total of five the number of its vessels that will use Airseas’ wind propulsion technology to reduce their emissions.
Airseas has a 20-year agreement with K Line, with options for the Seawing to be installed on up to 50 of its vessels in total. The system was recently put through its paces during sea trials on the vessel Ville de Bordeaux, as it transported aircraft components between Europe and the United States.
The 154m ro-ro vessel is operated by Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) and chartered by Airbus, Airseas’ minority shareholder and launch customer. Airseas said that the first stages of the sea trials have validated key steps such as the folding and unfolding of the wing, take-off and landing, and flights in altitude. The next phase will test the Seawing in a broader range of weather conditions and fine-tune the automation system.
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Source: Offshore Energy
