On September 4th, Kawasaki Kisen announced that its subsidiary OCEANICWING, established in France, had completed the first phase (Phase 1) of its wind-powered automatic kite system "Seawing" in June. The company had confirmed favorable results from tension and system performance verification using a 300m2 kite at a land-based test site, and that it had entered the second phase (Phase 2) in July, which aims to establish the technology and put it into practical use.
<Performance verification process>
"Seawing" is an energy-saving system that utilizes wind power, a natural energy source, and is versatile enough to be installed not only on new ships but also on existing ones. Combined with efforts to switch fuels, such as LNG-fueled ships, it enables a significant reduction in CO2 emissions.
Among the various types of wind-powered propulsion assist devices, "Seawing" is characterized by its ability to generate relatively large thrust on its own by utilizing upper-air winds.
In development phase 2, the kite will be made even larger, and its towing performance and reliability will be verified at a land-based test site.
<Schedule>
Going forward, after evaluating its operability and safety with a view to offshore use, Kawasaki Kisen plans to conduct offshore demonstration experiments on its large bulk carriers.
The goal is to complete testing and put the system into practical use within about two years, and it is expected to reduce fuel consumption by more than 10%.
