Alfa Laval and Wallenius have teamed up to create Oceanbird, which produces a range of windsails to propel almost any type of vessel
“To achieve a shipping revolution, we need to address both newbuilds that are specially designed for sailing and the retrofitting of existing vessels with wing sails.” These were the words of Oceanbird managing director Niclas Dahl, speaking during an interview with Tanker Shipping & Trade.
The Oceanbird concept for wind-powered shipping was developed by Wallenius Marine, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and RISE (formerly SSPA). The research project was supported by the Swedish Transport Administration and is intended to play a major part in near-zero emissions propulsion of cargo vessels.
It was in 2021 that Wallenius and Alfa Laval announced they had formed AlfaWall Oceanbird, a joint venture aimed at developing a wind propulsion system. The whole concept, including a full set of wing sails, specially designed hull and speed/route recommendations, can reduce emissions significantly.
“The research project showed that it is possible to reduce emissions from vessels by up to 90% if all emission influencing factors are aligned,” said Mr Dahl.
Oceanbird is actually the latest iteration of a project that started in 2010 with the Wallenius Marine roadmap to eliminate emissions from shipping through a combination of reduced energy consumption, emissions-free energy sources and emission-neutral energy carriers. The goal was to produce or re-introduce wind as a main source of propulsion.
“The complete Oceanbird concept would only require the use of the engine for 10% of the time”
By 2015, Wallenius Marine design manager Carl-Johan Soder had sketched out ideas for a high-performance cargo vessel hull, with aerodynamical topsides and a rigid wing sail mast system. In 2018, Wallenius Marine, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Statens Skepprovnings Anstalt (SSPA, now integrated into the Research Institutes of Sweden - RISE) applied for a SEK32M (US$3.5M) grant from the Swedish Transport Administration for a three-year development project, starting in 2019.
The KTH Royal Institute used lasers to measure the behaviour of the wind from just above sea-level, to the level of a vessel’s deck and up to 300 m high. This data proved to be valuable in designing the final version of the rigid sail.
The 2021, a 50:50 partnership between Wallenius and Alfa Laval was agreed. It was shortly after the partnership was formed that the original AlfaWall Oceanbird design was changed to the current design. The new version offers the same performance as the previous telescopic wing sails, but at half the size.
The 2022 Oceanbird design consists of a rigid main sail with a leading edge flap. This design may be familiar to those who follow high performance yacht racing where the fore sail/flap functions to guide air onto the main sail to generate extra lift to the point that boats can travel faster than the wind speed.
The large-wetted area of cargo vessel hulls creates too much resistance to achieve such an effect, but at 40 m tall and 14 m wide, the Oceanbird sail generates considerable thrust.
“Unlike a windmill, the Oceanbird wing sail doesn’t generate energy, but instead creates thrust forward. Just like an airplane wing makes the plane lift, the wing sail makes the vessel move forward,” said Mr Dahl.
Oceanbird has developed a toolbox for performance predictions simulating entire voyages. This tool is capable of running hundreds of scenarios of different weather and sea conditions overnight and has analysed hundreds of actual voyages undertaken by Wallenius vessels.
According to Oceanbird, the simulations show that if a ship, fully equipped with Oceanbird Wings, has an average speed of 9-10 knots, it would only require the use of the engine for 10% of the time. The speed of 9-10 knots is significant, well within the range of tankers, although for vessels on scheduled services, such as container ships, the benefits will fall the more the engine is used.
Furthermore, the longer distances sailed by large tankers across oceans supports a reduction in engine use, compared to short-haul work along coastal routes and in congested port regions.
Another, less obvious benefit of a wind-based propulsion system is the reduced impact of noise on aquatic life. Ocean Alliance CEO Iain Kerr said: “If shipping became propelled once more by sails, both the sounds that are destroying the lives of the animals in the ocean and the burning of so much fossil fuel will cease.”
“Oceanbird is the latest iteration of a project that started in 2010”
The Wallenius Wilhelmsen vessel Tirranna will be the first to be fitted with the Oceanbird sail in mid-2024, and will provide the proof of concept. Newbuildings will be a target market and according to Mr Dahl, the wind propulsion system can be retrofit-installed on almost any vessel type.
“Our first focus is RoRo, due to our background and [the fact that] RoRo vessels have a suitable open space on deck, but we are also looking into other segments,” he said.
An installation would involve some deck strengthening for the base unit, which is modular and can be fabricated off-site. The base unit allows the sail and mast to be lowered and incorporates a 360o pivot, allowing the management system to alter the direction and shape of the sail to garner the optimal wind energy.
Oceanbird is the sponsor of the airport-type lounge at the purpose-built concert venue for the virtual music concert event, ABBA Voyage. Like Oceanbird, the event is innovative, combining avatars of the ABBA pop group with a live band, backed with cutting-edge technologies.
Wallenius Lines chairperson and CEO, Jonas Kleberg, said: “Wallenius has a long history as the forerunner in sustainable shipping. We are proud to support ABBA Voyage with sustainable solutions.”
ABBA’s Benny Andersson said: “I believe we must be at the forefront of what music and entertainment can be with ABBA VOYAGE, and it is extremely pleasing to be able to make it all happen in partnership with Oceanbird and Wallenius, who are as keen on sustainability as we are.”
© 2023 Riviera Maritime Media Ltd.