Giant sail technology could make shipping greener

One of the first large cargo ships in 100 years to cross the Atlantic with the help of the wind will set off from European shores this month on a voyage, which is due to make maritime history.

When the 10,000-tonne Beluga Skysail is well clear of the land, it will launch a giant kite, which wind tunnel tests, sea trials suggest will tug it along, and save 10-15% of the heavy fuel oil, it would normally burn. If the journey from Bremen in Germany to Venezuela and back proves successful, it could become common to see some of the largest ships in the world towed by kites the size of football fields. This is a serious attempt to reduce bunker [fuel] costs and polluting emissions. The ship’s maiden voyage will use a 160 sq metre kite, which is expected to cut fuel consumption by 10-15%, but in time, it will be fitted with much larger kites, possibly saving 30-35% on fuel. The largest kites could be as big as 5,000 sq metres and theoretically be capable of assisting giant container ships.

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Indian Naval warships showcase indigenous technology

Aiming to display its advanced indigenous technology to the Royal Navy of Oman, two Indian Naval warships have arrived in Muscat on a four-day goodwill visit.

INS Tabar and INS Brahmaputra, which belong to the Western Fleet of the Indian Navy are part of the continuing “Building Bridges of friendship” mission.” The Indian Navy is showcasing its technology and it is for the Omani Navy or the regional navies to examine what India has on offer,” defence attache Indian embassy Captain M. D Suresh said. “The best part of acquiring Indian Navy’s indigenous technology is that all the regional navies know that we put our individual systems through very stringent tests before we accept them as operational and put them on board,” he added. The commanders of the two ships Captain S N Ghormade (INS Brahmaputra) and Captain P K Banerjee (INS Tabar) met the representatives of the Royal Oman Navy and other officials at a reception hosted on-board INS Tabar.

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Port of Montreal welcomes first ocean-going vessel of 2008

The M/V Valentina, with Captain Volker Huba at the helm, crossed Montreal’s port limits at Sorel at 0:21 a.m. today, and became the first ocean-going vessel to reach the Port of Montreal in 2008.

The vessel also inaugurates the new navigational season to Montreal. The Valentina is a Marshall Island-flagged vessel operated by OOCL, a shipping line represented in Montreal by McLean Kennedy. A containership, it has a capacity (deadweight) of 1,853 TEUs. Arriving from the Port of Antwerp (Belgium), the ship docked this morning at Montreal Gateway Terminals Section 77, operated by Montreal Gateway Terminals Partnership. Captain Huba will be presented with the traditional Gold-Headed Cane at a press conference and reception at the Port of Montreal Building. The Gold-Headed Cane is a prize awarded at the beginning of each new navigation year, to the captain of the first ship to reach the Port of Montreal directly from overseas.

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