A high-tech sail designed to reduce shipping emissions could soon be installed on thousands of vessels. Known as the Airwing, it is currently being assembled by engineers in Hull, with sea trials scheduled to begin this spring.

Developers claim the Airwing can cut a ship’s fuel consumption by up to 30% and generates 10 times the thrust of a traditional sail.

On a visit to Hull to see the project, Maritime Minister Mike Kane said: “Maritime is one of the hardest areas to decarbonise and that’s why I am here today to say that it can be done.”

The project secured £3.7 million in funding after winning a government competition focused on creating green jobs and enhancing skills.

The Airwing operates by drawing in air and using fans to amplify the wind’s power as it flows through the sail. It can be fitted to new ships or retrofitted to existing vessels to improve fuel efficiency.

This initiative is part of a broader £30 million Department for Transport plan to decarbonise the maritime sector.

Kane praised the team behind the Airwing and added: “I’m proud to see this funding boost growth and create jobs throughout the UK.”

The prototype is being assembled by MMS Ship Repair, an engineering firm based in Hull. Rob Langton, the company’s managing director, described the project as prestigious, noting that it will help develop new skills and create job opportunities.

“The are vast opportunities with this, and I am sure that once the technology has proved itself there will be many ships it can be fitted to,” he said.

George Thompson, CEO of GT Wings—the company behind the Airwing—said sea trials are just weeks away.

“There is real industry backing for this technology because it can save emissions [and] costs, and it can be retrofitted,” he added.

The trials will begin in March when an Airwing is installed on a vessel owned by Carisbrooke Shipping, to be tested on routes between northern Europe and Canada.

“The UK is really leading the [shipping] industry in this, so it’s an exciting time to be bringing innovation into this space,” he said.

The shipping industry is a major contributor to carbon emissions. According to the International Energy Agency, shipping accounted for around 2% of global energy-related emissions in 2022. With the industry aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050, Thompson believes the Airwing could be fitted to 40,000 vessels, representing half of the world’s fleet.