“WISAMO”, which was presented by Michelin as part of Movin’On, aims at contributing to decarbonizing maritime transport
- Michelin’s WISAMO wing sail system continues growing on a ro-ro vessel from Compagnie Maritime Nantaise -MN. Starting from the end of 2022, two weekly rotations between Spain and Great Britain will be operating with a WISAMO wing sail system.
- Test runs are going ahead with Michel Desjoyeaux’s boat in order to perfect the solution’s technical development.
WISAMO, Michelin’s solution aiming at contributing to decarbonizing maritime transport, is certainly starting the year with wind in its sails. Michelin and the Compagnie Maritime Nantaise – MN have just signed a partnership deal to test the pioneering solution on a first merchant ship.
A wing prototype with a surface area of 100 sqm is to be installed on Compagnie Maritime Nantaise – MN’s container ship “MN Pélican”.
Thanks to this installation, the WISAMO wing will be tested in actual commercial maritime navigation conditions, contributing to the new technology’s industrial development phase. If the trials are conclusive, the partnership deal could open the door to trials using a larger wing sail, marking a great step toward decarbonizing maritime transport.
MN Pélican, which has been chartered by Brittany Ferries at Compagnie Maritime Nantaise – MN since 2016, operates two weekly rotations between Poole (Great Britain) and Bilbao (Spain). The ro-ro container ship will be equipped with the WISAMO wing sail system in the second semester of 2022.
ONGOING TECHNICAL TESTS WITH MICHEL DESJOYEAUX
With the same objective of maritime transport application, technical tests using the first 100 sqm wing prototype are simultaneously going ahead on Michel Desjoyeaux’s sailboat.
A number of tests and measures were carried out between June and December 2021 on Lake Neuchâtel in Switzerland, with a highly positive outcome. Bolstered by these results, WISAMO is to enter a second phase of more extensive tests with winter maritime conditions in the Bay of Biscay. The sailboat, which will be heading towards Royan, will be able to begin its journey at the end of February 2022.
UNVEILED BY MICHELIN AS PART OF THE 2021 MOVIN’ON SUMMIT, “WISAMO” IS AN INNOVATIVE SOLUTION AIMING TO CONTRIBUTE TO DECARBONIZING MARITIME TRANSPORT.
The WISAMO project features an inflatable, retractable, automated wing sail which can be fixed on commercial vessels and pleasure boats. The WISAMO project’s name comes from the first 2 letters of the words “Wing Sail” and “Mobility” and was born from an encounter between Michelin’s Research & Development department and two Swiss inventors sharing the Group’s “all-sustainable” vision.
The wing sail system uses wind propulsion, a source of energy that’s free, universal and unlimited. The inflatable wing sail has a revolutionary design and will help reduce fuel consumption, reducing CO2 emissions for a positive environmental impact. It was designed and developed by the WISAMO project team and can be fixed on most commercial vessels and pleasure boats.
The wing sail system is particularly suited to ro-ro vessels, bulk carriers, gas carriers and tankers, and may be installed during the ship’s design phase, as part of the original equipment, or may be fit retrospectively on an existing, already operational ship.
The wing sail system offers a wide range of use, including “close-hauled” (headwind), providing one of the widest operating ranges in the market. The wing sail system can be used on all maritime routes. It is retractable for easy access into ports and under bridges. It will help save up to 20% fuel per ship.
