Yara joins International Windship Association

After partnering with BAR Technologies to bring WindWings to the global shipping industry, Yara Marine Technologies has now joined the International Windship Association (IWSA).

With this move, the company will support the association’s mission of promoting the use of wind propulsion to reduce fuel consumption and cut C0₂ emissions.

“The immense savings gained by modern wind propulsion really caught the interest of both Yara Marine and our established network of ship-owners. BAR Technologies’ … naval architecture gave us the perfect entry point, bringing WindWings to the maritime sector,” Aleksander Askeland, CSO of Yara Marine Technologies, explained.

“Simulations demonstrate that WindWings save 30 percent fuel and CO₂ emissions on average trading patterns. Wind technology is finally mature and can achieve significant benefits for both ship-owners and the environment. We already experience massive interest in the market, and are ready for orders.”

“We have already started to take wind propulsion from retrofit pilots to mass production and will have the first vessels sailing early next year. Winds of change have begun to blow; you can fight them, or you can set sail,” Askeland added.

Promoting the wind through education and collaboration

Many still perceive commercial wind propulsion to be at an early stage, but rapid development over the past two years has changed the game. It is quickly becoming a topic of great interest for the shipping industry.

To keep building this momentum, the IWSA seeks to promote the economic value of wind propulsion and function as an information hub for emerging technologies. It is also determined to create strong collaborative networks, facilitate common approaches, and assist maritime stakeholders in securing funding for wind propulsion projects.

“Wind propulsion is a zero emissions technology for the future and will be important in solving some of the shipping industry’s greatest challenges. By harnessing the power of the wind, ship-owners can make their fleets more competitive while also reducing their environmental impacts,” Gavin Allwright, Secretary General at the IWSA, said.

Preparing for future regulations

With the IMO targeting a 40% reduction of CO₂emissions by 2030, the shipping industry is under increasing pressure to clean up their operations. This strengthens the value of wind propulsion for ship-owners who intend to continue profitable operations into the future.

“We will soon see much stricter regulations for emissions, and that is one of the reasons why wind propulsion is increasingly on the radar of ship-owners. It is also an important reason for IWSA’s work; we want to help them prepare so that we may secure a thriving industry for generations to come,” Allwright concluded..