DNV GL awards AIP to KSOE for wing sail propulsion system
DNV GL has awarded an Approval in Principle (AIP) to Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering (KSOE) for a wing-sail auxiliary propulsion system for ships - the result of a joint research project between KSOE and SK Shipping, the company said in its release.
The wind-powered auxiliary propulsion system for ships is the result of a joint research project from KSOE, the shipbuilding holding company of Hyundai Heavy Industries Group, and SK Shipping, to develop wind-powered eco-friendly propulsion solutions.
The wing sail design is 20 meters wide, 50 meters high and installed vertically on both sides of the deck. It rotates its wings according to the direction and intensity of the wind to provide auxiliary propulsion to the ship. The wing can be lowered to 10 meters in height, making it flexible in case of bad weather or when passing under a bridge.
DNV GL undertook the AIP by reviewing the initial drawings related to design loads, system responses, redundancies and components submitted by KSOE, while SK Shipping provided their expertise and insights on the technology from an owner’s point of view.
The new wing sail propulsion system can be installed on many types of vessels and is expected to further increase the efficiency of future ship operations. The AIP is also a big step towards awarding a ship DNV GL’s new additional class notation, WAPS (Wind Assisted Propulsion System). In addition, DNV GL has recently developed a standard for the certification of wind assisted propulsion systems in response to enquiries for the independent assessment of those systems.