Friday, July 26, 2013

Rolls Royce to green the seas with the return of the clipper ship

Propulsion giant Rolls Royce Holdings is developing a twenty-first century clipper ship, believing shipping emissions regulations will increase fuel costs for conventional ocean freighters and cause them to seek greener alternatives.

Cargo ships are poised for a design shift featuring sleeker hulls and hybrid propulsion systems, according to Rolls. Along with its partners, the company is helping to develop a ship featuring a 180-foot sail augmented by biomethane engines and carrying 4,500 tons of freight.

"We're at the dawn of a transition," says Oskar Levander, vice president for innovation at the RRH marine unit, adding that he predicts a switch to alternative fuels such as dimethyl ether and liquid natural gas, as well as "high-tech wind."

The International Maritime Organization sulfur caps, which already require vessel owners to switch to cleaner and more expensive grades of fuel, are prompting the push for more eco-friendly container ships.

B9 Shipping in Larne, Northern Ireland, is partnering with Rolls on the project. Analysis of the B9 ship design showed an estimated fuel consumption drop for the wind-assisted vessel of 46 percent to 55 percent less than an equivalent conventional ship on the same route.

B9 estimates that about 60 percent of the ship's thrust will come from conventional soft-sails, and 40 percent from the biomethane engine during calm conditions or when it's maneuvering in port.

For more of the Bloomberg story: businessweek.com

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