Michelin’s Auto-Inflatable ‘Wing Sails’ Set Out To Sea On Vessel In World-First

The first-ever automated wing sail has taken to the ocean on board a merchant vessel, the MN Pélican.
 
The sails, manufactured by Michelin, can inflate on their own and take shape as traditional sails of old ships. The MN Pélican will be the first ocean liner to employ the new tech following an agreement with the vessel’s owner, Compagnie Maritime Nantaise, and supplier Start2Prod IMECA.
 
The technology in question is known as Wind and Sail Mobility (WISAMO), which has been employed to help reduce fuel usage by up to 20% per ship as it allows the boat to rely on wind energy instead.
 
The sails are made for commercial crafts or tankers, LNG carriers, ro-ro vessels, and bulk boats. They can be built directly as original equipment for new ships or fitted onto existing ones.
 
MN Pélican currently has routes transporting goods between Poole in the UK and Bilbao in Spain. If the tests go well, this could bring about significant changes in the maritime industry as it moves towards a low-carbon future. 
 
According to the International Windship Association (IWSA), this move towards wind propulsion could save the industry US$1 trillion.

 
 
 
[via TechTimes and Interesting Engineering, cover image via Michelin]