WiSP2 Project launched to further improve performance predictions, rules and regulations for wind propulsion

MARIN and ABS have kicked off the WiSP2 Joint Industry Project to help facilitate the broad uptake of wind propulsion as an important tool to decarbonise shipping.

“This Wind assisted Ship Propulsion (WiSP) JIP picks up where the successful phase I project left off with a wider scope and fed by additional insights gained from our earlier phase of analysis.” states Patrick Hooijmans, Team leader Transport & Shipping, the project lead from MARIN.

WiSP2 will focus on making evaluations within EEDI and EEXI, but also from real operational conditions. The aim is to prove the level of fuel savings ship owners can expect, enabling them to make informed investment decisions, whilst also keeping the upcoming CII requirements in mind. At the same time, compliance to rules and regulations is addressed, specifically on manoeuvring.

“These new findings from WiSP2 will be condensed in updated recommended methods for performance prediction and reported as submissions to MEPC and potentially other committees in IMO.” says Jan Otto de Kat, Director, Global Sustainability Center in Copenhagen and co-initiator from ABS.

Project scope

The scope of the project over the next two years will include the following:

• Improve methods for transparent performance prediction, extending the considered wind propulsors and propulsion line types compared to the previous WiSP project.
• Apply the new methods in cases, including a validation case.
• Further review of the regulatory perspective, recommend improvements and clarifications, and provide examples to establish compliance.
• Development of a basic performance prediction tool, to be used by participants.
• Proposal for (in-service) speed trials with wind-assist technologies.
• Assess the influence of manoeuvring compliance and course keeping.

“We are looking forward to being involved and following the progress of this project”, comments Gavin Allwright, Secretary General of the International Windship Association (IWSA), he continues “a project that will culminate in a set of recommendations and a software tool to prepare exploratory performance predictions for wind propulsion systems is another important step forward for the sector.”

Participation

WiSP2 was started by MARIN, in cooperation with American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and together with a large number of participants, to investigate ways to overcome barriers to wind propulsion uptake. The project is open for additional participants. A reduced entry fee is available for additional organisations joining before August 1st 2021.