Energy News
TRADE WARS
Eco-friendly French cargo ship revives sail power
Eco-friendly French cargo ship revives sail power
by AFP Staff Writers
New York (AFP) Sept 3, 2024

A French ship navigating past New York City to harbor laden with Champagne, Cognac and jam under sail might recall a long-forgotten age of wind navigation.

But with the Anemos, the world's largest cargo sail ship, a French company is seeking to revive the eco-friendly and cost-effective technology to become a regular fixture on the high seas once again.

There has been increased interest in recent years in the use of sail technology to move cargo as fuel costs and environmental concerns have mounted for both shipping companies and consumers.

Anemos completed its inaugural 18-day transatlantic sailing from the French port of Le Havre to the Port of Newark Tuesday, and Guillaume Le Grand, chief executive of operator TOWT, hopes it will be the first of many.

"They're the largest sailing vessels around and we're starting to make an impact," he said of the ship and its sister vessel, Artemis, due to be launched in Vietnam Wednesday.

"We were full on this crossing and there's strong demand. Six more (vessels) are ordered already," Le Grand added, explaining that clients increasingly want to know the carbon intensity of their shipping.

Anemos, which is 81-meters long, carried with it 1,000 tonnes of cargo.

The inaugural sailing of Anemos was not without difficulties, with the backup motor used and refinements having to be made to the setup of the ship and its giant double sails.

"This was a little but challenging, we had to manage the routing. We are improving the tuning of the sails," captain of the nine-person crew Hadrien Busson told AFP.

The vessel uses a computerized, robotic rigging system to adjust the vast sails which make the ship 206 feet tall.

With around one billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emitted every year, shipping is responsible for almost three percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which aims to achieve carbon neutrality in the sector by 2050.

Wind is already used by some forty large cargo ships worldwide, according to the International Windship Association.

But that is a drop in the ocean when compared to the 105,000 vessels worldwide weighing more than 100 tonnes.

Several other shipping companies are using vessels harnessing wind power including Zephyr & Boree, Windcoop and Neoline.

Related Links
Global Trade News

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
TRADE WARS
US climate envoy John Podesta to visit China this week: state media
Beijing (AFP) Sept 3, 2024
US climate envoy John Podesta will visit China this week for talks with counterpart Liu Zhenmin, state media said Tuesday, ahead of the COP29 summit in Baku in November. The two officials will "have an in-depth exchange of views on practical cooperation," state broadcaster CCTV said. They will also discuss "their respective domestic climate policy actions and the multilateral process on climate change," CCTV said. Envoys Liu and Podesta met for the first time in their roles in Washington in ... read more

TRADE WARS
Heat pumps are key to home electrification -- but will Americans buy in?

China nears peak emissions as climate envoy meets US counterpart

UK announces record green energy auction

Treasury Department, IRS, propose expansion of clean energy tax credits

TRADE WARS
Argonne to lead National Energy Storage Research Hub

Researchers discover a surprising way to jump-start battery performance

Bubbling, frothing and sloshing: Long-hypothesized plasma instabilities finally observed

Innovative smart windows cool buildings and generate electricity without external power

TRADE WARS
Researchers develop method for chemically recyclable wind turbine blades

India's green energy wind drive hits desert herders hard

MIT engineers' new theory could improve the design and operation of wind farms

Engineers Develop Cost-Effective Seafloor Testing Device for Offshore Wind Farms

TRADE WARS
UN's Guterres says China-Africa ties can drive 'renewable energy revolution'

Custom innovations for fault detection in renewable power grids

AI-powered process unveils chemical keys for solar energy advancements

Major Qatari plant to double solar capacity by 2030: minister

TRADE WARS
Assorted, distinctive behavior of molten uranium salt revealed by neutrons

New French nuclear reactor resumes operations

UN nuclear chief in Russia reiterates safety concerns

New French nuclear reactor enters automatic shutdown

TRADE WARS
CABBI team designs efficient bioenergy crops that need less water to grow

Engineered microbes efficiently convert CO2 into key pharmaceutical precursors

UK power firm to pay fine over inaccurate data on wood

Turning bacteria into bioplastic factories

TRADE WARS
US Navy sailor detained by law enforcement in Venezuela

MiQ updates guidance on satellite data for verifying methane emissions

Hijacked, sunk, set ablaze: Yemen rebels' Red Sea attacks

Oil tanker ablaze off Yemen threatens environmental disaster

TRADE WARS
Sunken village emerges as Greek drought bites

Namibia's drought cull of more than 700 wildlife under way

Africa faces disproportionate burden from climate change: UN

COP29 finance draft reveals divided positions

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.