Modern Windships; Phase 2

1. Introduction

The WindShip project was initiated in 1995 when the Danish Ministry of Environment and Energy granted funding for Consulting Naval Architects and Marine Engineers Knud E. Hansen A/S to investigate the feasibility of adding sail assisted power to propel commercial ships. The complete project was subdivided into several phases; the current report is the result of phase 2.

In phase 1, which was finished in November 1996, a broad background of different projects involving WindShips were investigated. The report described the possibilities of a new type of WindShip with a length of about 200 m and a dead weight of 50.000 tonnes. The proposed WindShip was compared to conventional ships, and it was concluded that at an increased overall transportation cost of approx. 10% a WindShip was economically feasible. The work resulted in a report: "Modern WindShips - Phase 1" which was published at the end of 1996, see Ref. 1.

These preliminary findings were so encouraging that at end of 1997, Pelmatic Knud E. Hansen A/S forwarded an application for a second phase of the WindShip-project to the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, acting on behalf of the former Danish Council for Recycling and Lesser Polluting Technology. Funding for the second phase was granted in mid 1998 and the work started in October the same year. In this phase a more detailed design was carried out. The present report summarises the findings.

A steering committee had already been formed during phase 1 and the members of this committee, with a few changes, have followed the project into phase 2. The committee consisted of professionals with expertise in the different areas concerning WindShip.

	Mr. Svend Otto Ott, Danish Environmental Protection Agency, Chairman.
	Mr. K. Mandrup, Danish Energy Agency.
	Mr.Peter Lauridsen, Senior Ship Suveyor, Danish Maritime Authority.
	Capt. Ole P. Nielsen, Danish Maritime Authority.
	Mr. Kim Henriksen, Senior Naval Architect, Danish Maritime Institute.
	Capt. Steen Stender Petersen, The Baltic and International Maritime Conference – BIMCO.
	Mr. Henrik Søderlund, M.Sc., Technical Manager, North Sails A/S.
	Capt. Jens V. Bloch, Maritime Consultant.

Representatives from the Danish Shipowners’ Association and the Association of Danish Shipbuilders were invited to participate in the steering committee’s meetings as observers.

The Danish Maritime Institute (subsequently called DMI/SL) carried out important parts of the investigation in close co-operation with Pelmatic Knud E. Hansen A/S. Specifically all the wind tunnel measurements, towing tank tests and developing of a velocity prediction programme were performed here.

The Danish Meteorological Institute (subsequently called DMI/meteo), has also been playing an important role in the project, supplying a vast number of weather data for specified routes and performing the weather routing, thus allowing calculations on the fuel-consumption to be performed.

These, with other data about WindShip construction- and running-costs, were then transferred to Mærsk Broker K/S, who has carried out an economic analysis-programme, comparing the economy of a WindShip with that of a conventional vessel.

The strategy followed during phase 2 of the project has removed many uncertain factors regarding the performance and economics of modern WindShips. We believe the results found were realistic and well founded.

Finally, we take the opportunity to thank our project-partners, members of the steering committee and our own staff involved for their interest and participation in the project.

Copenhagen, December 1999.

Pelmatic Knud E. Hansen A/S