Royal visit at SSPA highlights wind propulsion
Putting wind propulsion in the spotlight, SSPA was visited by HRH the Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, HRH Prince Daniel of Sweden and HRH Crown Prince Haakon of Norway. In the Maritime Dynamics Laboratory at SSPA, one of the largest wave laboratories in the world, they were invited to a maneuver test in waves of a wind powered ship concept.
A Swedish-Norwegian innovation project has come a long way in the development of ocean-going sailing vessels for commercial maritime traffic. The world's largest car transport company, Swedish-Norwegian Wallenius Wilhelmsen, have an ambition to order a sailing vessel in 2023 for delivery in 2026. The vessel, Orcelle Wind, will be able to transport more than 7,000 cars and is designed for their intercontinental routes. Emissions are estimated to be reduced by up to 90 percent compared to the present vessels.
In the research project Oceanbird, funded by the Swedish Transport Administration, SSPA together with Wallenius Marine and the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm laid the foundation for the technical development needed to realize the concept of a sailing car transport vessel.
- Behind the Orcelle concept are several years of research and development, says Sofia Werner who is responsible for method development around hydrodynamics and wind at SSPA in Gothenburg. SSPA has over 80 years of experience in model testing of ships, but this is something completely new. We had to develop many completely new methods and techniques. Tests of this kind are unique in the world. There are many details to consider. The shape of the hull, control technology and the appearance of the rig are just some of the interacting factors that must be designed so that the whole thing works technically, economically, and environmentally. We are proud that SSPA is involved and that we play an important role in the entire transition to a more climate-adapted shipping industry.