UK company Windship Technology has been awarded GBP 4m as part of a consortium in the latest round of the UK’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC), towards a project to demonstrate a symbiotic wind propulsion and carbon capture system, aimed at making a zero-emissions shipping industry a reality.
This project will install a Windship Technology 36m tri-foiled rig on a 15,000 dwt bulker alongside carbon capture technology being demonstrated by Leilac.
Graham Harvey, CEO Windship Technology, said: “We are absolutely delighted with this funding for Windship Technology. Given the significant financial support announced today, the Department for Transport and Innovate UK believe Windship Technology can be a key driver in the clean shipping revolution, and we are proud to be playing our part in the decarbonisation of the shipping industry.”
Simon Rogers, Windship Technology Technical Director, said: “The Windship Technology project has progressed significantly since we announced our DNV Approval in Principal. The next stage, thanks to this funding, will enable us to build a full-scale demonstration of our fully patented triple rig wing design working in conjunction with our partners carbon capture technology.”
The project is part of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition Round 3 (CMDC3), which was announced in September 2022, funded by the Department of Transport and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK. CMDC3 is part of the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emission’s (UK SHORE) flagship multi-year CMDC programme. As part of CMDC3, the Department allocated £60m to 19 flagship projects supported by 92 UK organisations to deliver real world demonstration R&D projects in clean maritime solutions.
Innovate UK Executive Director for Net Zero, Mike Biddle, said: “These 19 real world demonstration projects showcase the very best of UK clean maritime innovation and engineering, bringing a range of exciting technologies one step closer to commercial reality. Accelerating clean maritime innovation is an important part of Innovate UK’s wider strategy and support to achieve Net Zero and unlock economic opportunities in the UK and globally.”
