Airseas installs its first fuel-saving auto-kite on a cargo ship

French company Airseas has installed its first half-size automated Seawing kite to a cargo ship chartered by Airbus, and will commence six months of trials in January. The full-size kite is estimated to save up to 20 percent of fuel burn and emissions…. Continue reading Airseas installs its first fuel-saving auto-kite on a cargo ship

Michelin’s inflatable sails hybridize freight ships to cut emissions

Beyond putting rubber on the world’s least-efficient hypercars, the Michelin Group also has its hand in more sustainable inflatable endeavors. Its Wing Sail Mobility (WISAMO) project aims to increase efficiency among cargo ships using an inflatable sai… Continue reading Michelin’s inflatable sails hybridize freight ships to cut emissions

Oceanbird’s huge 80-meter sails reduce cargo shipping emissions by 90%

The idea of using sails to power a boat is not exactly a new one; indeed, the earliest known depiction of a ship under sail appears on a painted disc found in Kuwait, dated back to somewhere between 5,000-5,500 BCE. Boats themselves, interestingly, app… Continue reading Oceanbird’s huge 80-meter sails reduce cargo shipping emissions by 90%

Hacking When It Counts: Setting Sail in a Submarine

By the early 20th century, naval warfare was undergoing drastic technological changes. Ships were getting better and faster engines and were being outfitted with wireless communications, while naval aviation was coming into its own. The most dramatic changes were taking place below the surface of the ocean, though, as brave men stuffed themselves into steel tubes designed to sink and, usually, surface, and to attack by stealth and cunning rather than brute force. The submarine was becoming a major part of the world’s navies, albeit a feared and hated one.

For as much animosity as there was between sailors of …read more

Continue reading Hacking When It Counts: Setting Sail in a Submarine

Unmanned Sailboat Traverses The North Atlantic

Sailboats have been traversing the Atlantic Ocean since before 1592, sailing through sunshine, wind, and rain. The one thing that they’ve all had in common has been a captain to pilot the ship across this vast watery expanse, at least until now. A company called Offshore Sensing has sailed an unmanned vessel all the way from Canada to Ireland.

The ship, called the Sailbuoy, attempted the journey last year as well but only made it about halfway before the mission was abandoned. This year, however, the voyage was finally completed, and this craft is officially the first unmanned ship to …read more

Continue reading Unmanned Sailboat Traverses The North Atlantic