Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore and Bureau Veritas Solutions Marine & Offshore have joined Wind for Shipping (W4S), a European R&D initiative under the Interreg North‑West Europe programme that runs from January 2025 to July 2028, according to the company's release.
The programme, featuring twelve partners from the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and France, aims to accelerate the maritime sector’s shift toward low‑emission shipping through development and deployment of wind propulsion technologies such as rotorsails and wingsails.
The total project budget is € 5.7 million, with € 3.4 million co‑financed by the European Union.
The initiative seeks to reduce fuel consumption by 20–40% and to overcome barriers to commercial adoption, including cost reduction, manufacturing optimisation and value‑chain integration, while reinforcing Europe’s position in green maritime innovation.
In the consortium, Bureau Veritas Solutions Marine & Offshore will provide computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and weather routing services, alongside customised on‑board measurement data.
Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore will contribute hydrostructure and energy‑efficiency simulations and will develop performance‑evaluation methodologies for wind‑propulsion technologies.
It will also assess composite manufacturing processes to support large‑scale production.
Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore is the maritime division of Bureau Veritas S.A., a global leader in testing, inspection and certification (TIC). Founded 1828 and listed on Euronext Paris, the group employs over 74,000 staff in 1,400 offices worldwide. BV Marine & Offshore provides classification, certification and technical services for ships and offshore assets, specializing in safety, regulatory compliance and sustainability.
Wind for Shipping (W4S) is an Interreg‑funded consortium project registered under North‑West Europe, initiated January 2025. It unites twelve partners from the maritime and research sectors across four EU countries, aiming to upscale and deploy wind propulsion technologies in commercial shipping.