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It is a simple fact: Wind is cheaper than oil and the most economic and environmentally sound source of energy on the high seas. And yet, shipping companies are not taking advantage of this attractive savings potential at present - for a simple reason: So far no sail system has been able to meet the requirements of today's maritime shipping industry.
SkySails is offering the only wind propulsion system which meets all these requirements.
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%.
Maritime shipping is entirely dependent on oil. Over the past 20 years, crude oil prices have risen annually by 10% on average. This development places tremendous financial pressure on the shipping industry as fuel costs account for more than half of a ship's operating expenses already today.
Irrespective of the current economic crisis, there is no end in sight to this trend: The IEA (International Energy Agency) projects an average oil price level of US-$ 100 per barrel over the period 2009 to 2015 and expects prices to double to approx. US-$ 200 by the year 2030. According to the IEA report the main reason for this price increase is the continuing decline in oil production rates (6.7% p.a.) facing a growing demand of 1% per year. Without massive investments, this development will ultimately lead to a widening gap in supplies and further price increases.
Virtually all existing cargo vessels and new builds can be retro- or outfitted with the SkySails auxiliary wind propulsion system.
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 2011. 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.)
The SkySails-System is used parallel to and for relief of the main engine, if wind conditions allow. The main engine's propulsion power remains fully available if required.
This dual propulsion solution offers the flexibility required to minimize operating costs. By using a SkySails-System foresighted shipping companies now have the opportunity to increase their competitiveness and yields!
For the first time in the history of commercial navigation, shipping companies are required to significantly reduce their ships' emissions for reasons of safeguarding the climate. Already today and in addition to the rising price of oil, operating costs are increasing considerably due to these legal regulations.
In April 2008 the IMO approved a reduction in sulfur emissions for the
shipping industry. From the year 2020 shipping companies either have to
use destillate fuels with a limited sulfur content of 0.5% instead of heavy
fuel oil or have to use scrubbing technology to clean their exhaust gases.
Already today the maximum sulfur content for ship fuels is limited to 1.5%
in the so-called SECAs (Sulfur Emission Control Areas) on the North Sea
and Baltic Sea. This threshold will drop to 1% starting in 2012. This is
nothing more than a requirement to burn MDO/MGO, since it is not
possible to reduce the sulfur content of heavy fuel oil to this level. For shipping
companies using distillate fuels means a doubling of fuel costs in the
future, since refined products such as MGO and MDO are considerably
more expensive than highly sulfurous bunker oil.
In addition to that, the IMO is currently working on a regulation on the
reduction of CO2 emissions from shipping in the form of a CO2 indexing
scheme. Experts assume that corresponding regulations will be implemented
in a timely manner. Thus, shipping companies will also be burdened
with emissions-based levies in the future.
It is a simple issue: if no fuel is combusted, there are no emissions. SOx and NOx emissions can be reduced by retrofitting ships with exhaust-gas cleaning systems, however, technologies presently available to reduce emissions unfortunately and paradoxically increase fuel consumption and thus CO2 emissions. In addition to the high investment costs these technologies entail, operating costs increase by up to 5% as well.
Obviously, it is smarter to reduce emissions by reducing fuel consumption, and this is exactly the solution the SkySails-System offers. Shipping companies thus benefit in two ways: they reduce emissions and their operating costs at the same time.
*The installation of emissions-reducing exhaust-gas cleaning systems entails tremendous costs for shipping companies. With such a system, fuel consumption rises by about 3% due to increased resistance in the exhaust line. Besides the expenses for maintenance and operation, the cost of procuring such catalytic converters runs about 40,000 euros per 1,000 kW of ship's power. Moreover, the highly toxic residues from the cleaning systems then have to be disposed of at great expense in port.
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SkySails - The Technology Technology Information [PDF] 
Turn wind into profit
Image Brochure [PDF]
Background Information
*Effective Load
Tractive force of the system in the direction of the ship's course under SkySails standard conditions:
ship speed: 10kn
wind speed: 25kn
true wind direction: 130°
SkySails flight mode: dynamic
Depending on the wind conditions on the routes traveled and the frequency of use of the SkySails-System, average annual savings generally amout to between 10 and 35%.
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