Energy transition. Airbus wants to equip three of its ships with giant sails

Sea trials conducted by Airbus since November have caught the attention of sailors on the Atlantic coast. It is impossible to miss the Ville de Bordeaux, this large ship equipped with a giant 500 square meter sail that maneuvers in the open sea. This is the first sea transport vessel in the world to test this technology.”green100% Made In France, developed by AirSeas, a French startup created in 2016 after being incubated by Airbus.

The aviation giant plans to equip three of its barges, which move monthly between Europe and the United States, with giant sails to transport large parts such as A320neo fuselages and wings destined for the US plant in Mobile, Alabama. By harnessing the power of the wind, each ship will use 20% less fuel, resulting in an equivalent reduction in CO2 emissions (100 kg tonnes per year for three ships) and SO2 (sulphur dioxin).

“When sea trials are completed in a few months, we will reap the first benefits of this technologyexplains Nicolas Chrétien, Director of Environment and Sustainability at Airbus. The manufacturer then plans to equip two of its other transport boats.

A gem of a technique

This sail, called the SeaWing, is made of polyester, a light and flexible material identical to that used for Kitesurfs. It is reinforced, in some parts, with elements of carbon and dacron. Its automatic deployment platform, which holds the sail, is a little gem of technology, stuffed with software that has been the subject of 9 patent filings. A simple on/off button allows the balloon to rise up to 300 meters to “to take» the strongest winds and fold it without human intervention.

“The test principle of the Seawing system is based on autopilots and numbers “at eight», that is, the flight in motion to maximize the drag on the balloon, forcing it to loop when positioned at altitude. We applied aero technologies like flight control to this balloon which is connected to the bow by a cable,” develops Vincent Bernatetz, co-founder of AirSeas. A young man who made his first balloon in a workshop plans to start his “sea ​​wingsuntil the end of 2022. It plans to develop balloons in a range of sizes. “The size of the series product will be 1000 square meters, twice the sail area of ​​the A350, suitable for large boats.– says Vincent Bernatetz.

15,000 boats are responsible for 85% of the pollution

The startup has no doubt that the world of maritime transport is interested in its revolutionary sail. The sector, which is responsible for 3% of human-caused CO2 as well as SO2 emissions, has begun its energy transition. In January 2020, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) mandated a sevenfold reduction in sulfur emissions. Now the next step for commercial shipping is to cut CO2 emissions by 40% by 2030. Around 50,000 ships worldwide were affected, including 425. The flag of France.

A huge sail is an immediate benefit to the response, especially for the big boats – tankers, giant container ships, bulk carriers – that pollute the most. “Our solution targets the 15,000 largest ships, which are responsible for 85% of the maritime sector’s carbon footprint. This solution is easy to implement on any vessel and is available now“, the co-founder of the startup assures. and thank you”new technologies – weather reports, predictive routing algorithms and more – Seawing compensates for variability in wind strength.– assures the founder, who is a former engineer of Airbus.

Japan’s KL Line is interested

After Airbus, Japan’s KL Line, 5^th The global shipowner, with a fleet of more than 300 large specialty boats, has signed a firm order for two SeaWings and has optioned a further 50 sails. The first is due to be laid down at Cape Brolga in late 2022, a new 200,000-ton, 300-meter-long ship that will leave Japan’s JMU Shipyards and make a tour between Japan and Australia. In 2023, a new LNG carrier, which is under construction, will be equipped. If the opinion is final, KL Line plans to exercise its options. AirSeas, which is in discussions with other shipping companies, aims to equip 1,000 ships a year by 2030.

For Airbus, whose core business is not maritime transport, the decision to use wind power, clean and renewable energy, is part of the plane maker’s decarbonisation plan. “Of the 800 kilotons of CO2 emitted by Airbus, 60% is due to its industrial activities (buildings, offices, factories, etc.), including 40% related to sea and air transportation, as well as flight testing. Airbus aims to reduce CO2 emissions by 63% by 2030 compared to 2015.concludes Nicolas Chrétien.