Kongsberg Maritime rolls out service to ‘streamline’ WAPS adoption

Norway-headquartered marine technology player Kongsberg Maritime has unpacked a new service envisaged to aid ship owners select and implement wind-assist technologies “more effectively.”

As disclosed, the new service, named K-Sail, was developed with the aim of helping vessel owners navigate the challenges pertaining to the adoption of wind-assist technology by focusing on integration and collaboration with technology partners.

According to Kongsberg, this modular wind propulsion platform was created for both newbuilds and retrofits. Compatible vessel segments include bulk carriers, tankers, boxships, roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessels, cruise ships, as well as large yachts.

The service integrates sail management, vessel automation and route optimization into one ecosystem, representatives from Kongsberg Maritime have explained, which is anticipated to provide operators control of the entire wind-assisted performance.

Shedding more insight on the development, Henrik Alpo Sjöblom, Kongsberg Maritime Vice President Business Concepts, remarked: “Putting a sail on a ship is, of course, not new. But the essence of using it successfully lies in the integration of these sails into the ship’s systems.”

“Ship owners can choose their preferred type of wind-assisted technology. There are several available and they all have their own attributes. However, to date, these technologies, whether incorporated in a newbuild, or retrofitted, are essentially an add-on technology. We believe they can be used in a much more effective way,” he underscored further.

As informed, Danish tanker operator Terntank has already been working with the K-Sail team on a pilot project. This year, the first of five wind-assisted tankers booked by Terntank is slated to be launched, and, thus, serve as the first reference point. Sjöblom anticipates that the fuel savings could increase from the first calculation of 9% to 15%.

This endeavor is not the first instance of collaboration between the two maritime industry players. Kongsberg and Terntank have worked on several projects together, including the one regarding the design and equipping of the latter company’s hybrid chemical tankers with wind-assisted technology. One contract was signed in June 2024, while another deal was announced just over a month later.

These particular units are presently under construction at the China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Yangzhou, with handovers slated by the end of this year.

Wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS) have garnered increasing attention from the maritime sector due to the technology’s promise of helping decarbonize shipping. Retrofitting sails or WAPS on existing vessels is said to lead to fuel consumption and carbon emission cuts ranging from 5% to 20% (or higher, under ‘optimal’ conditions).

Norway, the world’s fifth-largest maritime economy, has seen multiple developments within this sphere. The KSP WIND project, for instance, launched by research organization SINTEF Ocean last year, was envisioned to allow for zero-emission shipping with wind-assisted propulsion, including both retrofit solutions and newbuilds. The funding, provided by the Research Council of Norway, is expected to last until 2027.