ClassNK commits to wind propulsion

For the past five years the IWSA has been bringing together wind propulsion projects, shipping companies, shipyards and research organisations to develop these technologies along with promoting the wind as a credible, viable and increasingly economic option for commercial vessels.

Gavin Allwright, secretary general of IWSA said, “2020 will be a critical year for wind propulsion developments as we enter the ‘decade to deliver’ on GHG emission reductions. We are delighted to welcome ClassNK aboard at this important juncture and the expertise they bring to IWSA will be invaluable to help deliver credible, viable and safe wind solutions into the market.”

Over the last few years ClassNK has supported the development of wind propulsion technologies and in September last year, released its ‘Guidelines for Wind-Assisted Propulsion Systems for Ships’. The classification society also hosted an Environment & Shipping seminar in Tokyo in October.

The pace of development into wind technology is expected to continue, with the UK government forecasting that the market for wind propulsion technologies will grow to a £2 billion a year by the 2050s and a 2017 EU-commissioned report predicting up to 10,000 wind propulsion installations within the next decade alone.

Hayato Suga, corporate officer and director of plan approval and technical solution division said that it was an honour to join the IWSA. “Expecting that wind propulsion technology will play an even greater role as ships’ power source, ClassNK has been developing necessary standards to ensure the safety and soundness of designs applying them,” he said.