Zeppelin Power Systems and towing-kite manufacturer SkySails are teaming up to market the SkySails propulsion systems. Zeppelin Power Systems will take a stake in SkySails as a strategic partner in time for the next step - the market entry of the SkySails system. Starting next year, the two Hamburg-based companies will combine their expertise and competence in what will be called the Zeppelin SkySails Service- und Vertriebsges. The two partners will jointly market the diesel-wind hybrid power systems. Zeppelin Power Systems' sales and service network will take care of global maintenance and servicing of the SkySails Systems. Zeppelin has partnered Caterpillar for more than fifty years, and is a leading sales and service organisations for marine engines.
"Rising fuel costs and climate-change-related requirements and restrictions are forcing the shipping industry to change its way of thinking," said Zeppelin president & CEO Ernst Susanek. "The combination of cutting-edge diesel engine technologies from MaK and Caterpillar and the wind propulsion systems from SkySails will allow us to chart a new and much more promising course in our industry. This partnership not only fully accommodates the development of new market potential in the maritime industry, but also follows the future-minded tradition set forth by our company's founder: the courage to try something new and to believe in its success."
SkySails propulsion is currently in use on two cargo ships belonging to Beluga Shipping and the Wessels Reederei as part of pilot trials on various shipping routes. SkySails will begin series production in 2009 - with production capacity already booked for a year in advance.
Depending on wind conditions, SkySails propulsion can reduce cargo vessels' fuel costs by an average of 10% - 35%.
Some 60,000 of the 100,000 ships at sea today can be retrofitted with such a towing-kite propulsion system, and more than 150 million tons of CO2 emissions could be saved each year were SkySails technology to be used systematically throughout the world.
"Rising fuel costs and climate-change-related requirements and restrictions are forcing the shipping industry to change its way of thinking," said Zeppelin president & CEO Ernst Susanek. "The combination of cutting-edge diesel engine technologies from MaK and Caterpillar and the wind propulsion systems from SkySails will allow us to chart a new and much more promising course in our industry. This partnership not only fully accommodates the development of new market potential in the maritime industry, but also follows the future-minded tradition set forth by our company's founder: the courage to try something new and to believe in its success."
SkySails propulsion is currently in use on two cargo ships belonging to Beluga Shipping and the Wessels Reederei as part of pilot trials on various shipping routes. SkySails will begin series production in 2009 - with production capacity already booked for a year in advance.
Depending on wind conditions, SkySails propulsion can reduce cargo vessels' fuel costs by an average of 10% - 35%.
Some 60,000 of the 100,000 ships at sea today can be retrofitted with such a towing-kite propulsion system, and more than 150 million tons of CO2 emissions could be saved each year were SkySails technology to be used systematically throughout the world.