The future of Shipping VPLP V
PLP is a renowned, international team of naval architects and designers who have been working
in the sail and motor craft industry for 30 years. Marc Van Peteghem is a French naval architect and co-founder of VPLP.
VPLP has become increasingly involved in solutions to decarbonise maritime transport. What were the motivations behind this move?
Marc: “In 2009 I became aware of the climate issue and we were wondering what we could do at our level. Vincent Lauriot Prevost (joint VPLP founder) and myself were watching the first test sail of Oracle, the 100’ black trimaran we designed.
"The wind is free, clean and available everywhere"
She was rigged with a 68 m span wing sail. This rig is twice as powerful as a normal sail. We thought that if we could automatise it and find a way to furl and reef it, then it could be a good solution. We built a prototype and industrialised the concept with CNIM Group and fitted Energy Observer with two ‘Oceanwings’. Energy Observer sailed to Spitzberg this summer and will be sailing to Japan in February.”
The Canopee project for ArianeGroup is quite a disruptive innovation. Why wind propulsion?
Marc: “In late 2007, ArianeGroup released a tender for the transportation of the Ariane 6 rocket elements. We decided to answer
What will be the perfect zero emission vessel in the coming decade?
in a collaborative way with Zéphyr & Borée and Jifmar. The intention was to design a specific ‘tool’ perfectly designed to fulfil this very special transport. Moreover, we wanted Canopee to be the greenest vessel possible. With her 4 x 363 m² Oceanwings she makes a 30% fuel saving at an average speed of 15 knots. This will help withstand potential fuel price rises and will make a further step towards the IMO targets.”
Marc: “The wind is free, clean and available everywhere. There are solutions to clean emissions - scrubbers, clean fuels like hydrogen, biofuel, etc… and there are solutions to minimise the engine power required to sustain a given speed but the only ‘two digits’ (percentage of saving) possibility is using wind power. In the future we believe ships will be propelled using a mix of aeolian and photovoltaic energy and probably hydrogen. Reducing the speed is very effective in reducing emissions. We calculate that a 330 m LNG carrier crossing the Atlantic and reducing its speed from 18 to 14 knots with some wind assist device, will reduce its consumption by 50%. Meanwhile, social pressure will demand more sustainable global logistics. Prices will increase and this is good news. What is seen as a constraint might become a competitive opportunity for the shipping company which will be the first to make radical choices.”
www.vplp.fr
Energy Observer fitted with two 'Oceanwings'
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