The European Union (EU) has allocated approximately 9 million euros in financial support for the AWESOME project, which aims to expand the use of wind energy in shipping.
According to sea-news.az citing “Seanews.az,” the project is led by “Kongsberg Maritime,” and the initiative involves 15 organizations, including “Odfjell,” DNV, “bound4blue,” and “Chantiers de l’Atlantique.”
The main goal of the project is to provide reliable data and assessment tools to facilitate investment decisions by shipowners regarding wind-assisted propulsion systems. Currently, uncertainty regarding the technology’s efficiency, return on investment, and impact on operations limits its widespread adoption.
Within the framework of AWESOME, two full-scale demonstration projects will be carried out. The company “Odfjell” will test the technology’s effectiveness on an existing vessel by equipping its chemical tanker with a wind-assisted system. The “Neoliner Origin” vessel, currently being built by the French company “Neoline,” will demonstrate the integration of wind energy from the design stage.
A 3,000-square-meter sail will be installed on the 136-meter “Neoliner Origin” Ro-Ro vessel, and it is expected to reduce emissions by up to 80 percent compared to traditional vessels of similar size.
The project will also explore the integration of wind energy systems with ship automation and control systems, as well as contribute to ensuring compliance with “FuelEU Maritime” and future IMO emission requirements.
