First adopters of eConowind’s VentoFoil wind support system share operational experiences
With the International Maritime Organization currently developing international regulations and standards that aim to achieve a 40% CO2 reduction by 2030, eConowind has shared additional information about its VentoFoil concept. The concept consists of a vertical wing that converts wind into additional thrust for vessels, resulting in annual fuel consumption savings of up to 15%.
The very first users of the maritime system – outlined below – have subsequently become official ambassadors for the eConowind VentoFoil following their experiences.
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“It is great to work in the energy transition and I am grateful for the efforts of these four innovators,” said Frank Nieuwenhuis, CEO of eConowind. “With all the pooled knowledge and experience, we can make the wings more widely available. There is momentum and our order pipeline is well stocked. Several shipping companies have closely followed the innovators and ordered their own VentoFoils. With the increased production capacity, we can now serve the market even better. We are continuing to develop as a scale-up, and advanced discussions are ongoing with several investors.”
The use of wind-assisted propulsion (WASP) on board existing vessels offers a multitude of advantages, including a reduction in CO2 emissions, and vast fuel and cost savings. eConowind states that the low-maintenance system can be installed in just two days.
Four Dutch shipowners have worked in close collaboration with eConowind while using the first two generations of VentoFoils on board their respective vessels. The shipowners will now use the third generation of VentoFoils for operations.
“For us, energy efficiency is key, which is why we are always open to new developments,” explained Johan Boomsma, a managing partner at Boomsma Shipping. “I think the three key factors – unit cost, fuel prices and European ETS legislation – are converging in such a way that wind-assisted propulsion will soon become one of the standard solutions. eConowind will succeed in making a significant contribution to reducing shipping emissions.
“For the crew, it is easy to use; with the push of a button, you can deploy and lower the sails again. At Boomsma, we include the VentoFoils in all our new construction plans.”
Jan van Dam, a director at Van Dam Shipping, commented, “As the first user of the VentoFoil system, we see how the system is developing in a positive way. We will have to go green as an industry, and wind-assisted propulsion is a quick win.”
“With this solution, you can make the existing fleet more sustainable,” explained Thomas van Meerkerk of Vertom Group. “At Vertom, we will deploy the system on three ships. We are investigating whether we can equip even more ships with these wind wings. We are also investigating if VentoFoils can be deployed on sustainable new-build ship designs in combination with, for example, hydrogen or methanol.”
