Sails Reduce Cargo Ship's Fuel Consumption By Up to 12 Tons Per Day

The shipping industry is thought to be responsible for roughly 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Though that might sound like a relatively small figure, the gas-guzzling cargo ships responsible for transporting goods from continent to continent pump more than 639 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year. As the global population grows and the shipping industry gets busier, engineers are eager to find ways to reduce cargo ships' impact on the planet. One such strategy relies on a technology we've had for centuries: sails. 

These aren't the sails Columbus used to reach North America, though. Aboard Pyxis Ocean, a bulk carrier vessel owned by Mitsubishi, are two "WindWings" developed by the marine engineering firm BAR Technologies. Each WindWing stands 123 feet tall and can be pivoted at will, allowing mariners to take advantage of natural wind patterns while staying on route. The ship's gas engine can be turned down to save fuel. Sensors built into the metal sails can also automate the wind-harvesting process, self-adjusting to improve thrust or reduce drag depending on the movement of the air. 

According to a release published Wednesday, Pyxis Ocean's WindWings have already made a significant dent in fuel consumption. As it sailed the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans from August 2023 through February 2024, Pyxis Ocean saved an average of 3.3 tons (3 tonnes) of fuel daily, or 14% of the ship's typical fuel consumption. During optimal wind conditions, Pyxis Ocean saved 12.1 tons (11 tonnes) of fuel daily—the emissions-quashing equivalent of taking 480 cars off the road. 

Pyxis Ocean's success has reportedly encouraged Cargill, the food shipping conglomerate that charters the ship, to continue its partnership with BAR. Because WindWings can be retrofitted to virtually any bulk carrier or tanker, most of Cargill's 700 shipping vessels could eventually find themselves with shiny new sails (though many would require three to four WindWings to achieve fuel savings similar to those of Pyxis Ocean). Cargill says the company is beginning to work with more than 250 global ports to accommodate ships with large sails. 

Twisting metal sails is just one way the shipping industry is hoping to reduce its overall carbon emissions. In 2021, the world's first crewless electric cargo vessel set sail in an experiment seeking to replace 40,000 shipping truck journeys per year. Airseas, a French energy solutions firm, is also testing ship-dragging kites that would reduce marine vessels' carbon emissions by up to 40 percent.