Hapag-Lloyd Studying Wind-assisted Propulsion

Hapag-Lloyd reports it has initiated a conceptual study for a 4,500 TEU ship featuring a wind-assisted propulsion system.

The German shipping company, which aims to be carbon neutral by 2045, is exploring the use of wind-assisted propulsion systems among a number of options to make its shipping operations sustainable

The company said its recent wind-assisted propulsion research is supported by Boris Herrmann and TEAM MALIZIA from the professional sailing sector and have now outlined a potential containership design. 

The vessel's design includes eight sails totaling 3,000 square meters. Six of these sails are retractable, and two are foldable, designed to optimize port operations and navigate potential obstacles such as bridges.

"Our current focus is on comprehensive computer simulations, with the aim of assessing the vessel's behavior under realistic weather conditions and determining potential energy savings from the integrated sail system," Hapag-Lloyd said.

"At the moment, we are examining historical weather data to explore possible shipping routes and assess the feasibility of a broader applicability of the sail system," the company added.