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Company
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The Hamburg-based company SkySails GmbH & Co. KG is the market and technology leader for automated towing kite systems. SkySails is developing, producing and selling an internationally patented wind propulsion system for cargo ships based on large towing kites.
Depending on the prevailing wind conditions, a ship’s average annual fuel costs can be reduced by 10 to 35% by using the SkySails-System. Under optimal wind conditions, fuel consumption can temporarily be cut by up to 50%.
SkySails was established in Hamburg in 2001 by Dipl.-Wirtschaftsingenieur (industrial engineer) Stephan Wrage und Dipl.-Ing. Thomas Meyer (engineer for shipbuilding and offshore technology). The company is headquartered in Hamburg-Harburg. In addition, SkySails has a production and test center in the Hanseatic City of Wismar as well as a joint branch office with the highly respected marine engine supplier Zeppelin Power Systems for worldwide sales and service of SkySails propulsion in Hamburg-Bahrenfeld. SkySails has 80 permanent employees. The vast majority of the staff are engineers. There are also a number of independent associates and a large network of well-known partners that support the developmental work.
Currently, SkySails is offering towing kite propulsion systems for cargo vessels with an effective load* of between 8 and 16 tons. SkySails with an effective load* of 32 tons are planned to be available in 2012. The planned product program comprises towing kite propulsion systems with an effective load* of up to 130 tons.
An effective tractive force of 8 tons by a SkySail corresponds to approx. 600 to 1,000 kW installed main engine power on average - depending on the ship‘s properties (propeller efficiency degree, resistance, etc.)
Worldwide sales and service for the SkySails-System are handled exclusively by Zeppelin SkySails Sales & Service GmbH & Co. KG. Zeppelin SkySails is a joint venture company of SkySails and Zeppelin Power Systems, a highly respected marine engine supplier and subsidiary of the renowned Zeppelin Group.
By using Zeppelin Power Systems’ powerful sales and service network, Zeppelin SkySails will ensure that all SkySails-Systems are maintained rapidly and reliably worldwide. Zeppelin has been a partner of Caterpillar, the world’s largest independent manufacturer of diesel engines, for over 50 years and ranks among the leading sales and service organizations for marine engines in the world.
SkySails GmbH & Co. KG offers additional services that enable customers to exploit the full potential of SkySails propulsion. In addition to a range of training courses for ship’s crews, these include the SkySails Routing Service, which is provided together with the distinguished meteorological services company WetterWelt GmbH from Kiel. SkySails also provides an invoicing service that allows shipping companies to automatically calculate and bill their charter and freight customers for the savings generated with the help of the SkySails propulsion.
SkySails’ customers are the Bremen-based shipping company Beluga Shipping and the WESSELS shipping company of Haren/Ems, as well as Wilson from Norway, the French 30m+ Yachts and Parlevliet & Van der Plas based in the Netherlands. Numerous other well-known shipping companies are planning to outfit their vessels with SkySails.
It is SkySails’ main objective to enable maritime shipping to profitably harness renewable wind energy by using towing kites. Thus, a broad application of the technology and with it a significant reduction of climate-damaging emissions shall be achieved. The systematic and worldwide use of SkySails technology would make it possible to save over 150 million tons of CO2 a year, an amount equivalent to about 15% of Germany's CO2 emissions. SkySails strives to be a symbol for an ideal symbiosis of economy and ecology.
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