OceanWings demonstrate wind-assisted propulsion potential via Canopée
For the last two years, the vessel that transports components of the Ariane 6 rocket has proven the success and viability of its installed OceanWings, including fuel savings, aerodynamic performance and versatility.
Source | Ayro/Uni Prod
Two years after its launch, Canopée — the first industrial cargo vessel equipped with four automated (Paris, France) composite wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS) — has clearly demonstrated the potential of wind-assisted propulsion.
Designed to transport components of the Ariane 6 rocket between Europe and French Guiana, Canopée operates under demanding transatlantic and European schedules and conditions. The integration of OceanWings has not only improved fuel efficiency but also demonstrated, over 2 years in operation, the reliability and uptime performance of wind-assisted propulsion for merchant shipping. These results have strongly validated the technological and operational choices made at the project’s inception.
Operational data confirms average fuel savings of 1.3 tonnes per day per wingsail, equivalent to around 300 kilowatts of equivalent engine power, or a total of 5.2 tonnes of fuel (20.8 tonnes CO2 equivalent) per day and 1,200 kilowatts of equivalent engine power for the four installed OceanWings.
The performance of the OceanWings on Canopée is projected to further increase thanks to the constant improvement of OceanWings’ software and AI platform. On one of the most recent transatlantic voyages, Canopée delivered average savings of 2.2 tonnes per day per wingsail, corresponding to 510 kilowatts of equivalent engine power saved per wingsail — or 2 megawatts of equivalent engine power for the entire vessel. Canopée was also clocked at 13.7 knots under sail power alone, which shows the clear potential of the OceanWings technology to the propulsion of commercial vessels.
In addition, over the last couple of years in operation, OceanWings showed 99.6% of operational availability on average, demonstrating their aerodynamic performance and versatility.
Canopée is seen as a success application that will lead the way for broader adoption of wind-assisted technologies across the fleet.
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