During these tests on the North and Baltic seas, towing kites of up to 160 square meters are being deployed on board the 800 ton former buoy tender. Following the successful testing of smaller systems on experimental vehicles of varying sizes, the innovative propulsion system reached fullscale for the first time aboard the MV "Beaufort".
As a collaborated effort, SkySails, the Institute of Navigation, and the University of Applied Sciences Oldenburg/ Ostfriesland/ Wilhelmshaven's Institute of Applied Economic Research - Campus Leer/Emden - are collecting data regarding the potential savings from, and the practical implications of, the SkySails-System under real conditions for the first time. One goal to be obtained from this research is a structured training program for future SkySails captains.
In the future, the SkySails-System will use comparably large towing kites to propel fishing trawlers, smaller cargo ships, and super yachts. The use of this new technology can reduce fuel costs by between 10 to 35% on annual average. Under optimal wind conditions fuel consumption can be temporarily reduced by up to 50%.
"Tests on the MV "Beaufort" are a milestone in the development of hybrid propulsions for shipping. A thousand years of experience leaves no doubt that traditional wind power alongside combustion engines is the most promising form of energy for shipping," according to Prof. Capt. Michael Vahs, project manager at the University of Applied Sciences Oldenburg/ Ostfriesland/Wilhelmshaven.
Everincreasing oil prices and stricter emissions regulations, increase the attractiveness of the innovative propulsion system to ship owners. The flying SkySails-System on the MV "Beaufort" will be presented to the public for the first time by the end of this year. In 2007, the first pilot systems will propel large cargo ships for SkySails first system purchaser, Beluga Shipping GmbH, from Bremen, Germany. Beluga purchased the first system in January of 2006 for one of its cargo ship new-builds. In 2008, the first SkySails-Systems will be ready for series production.
