When contemplating how to cut shipping costs and emissions created by the large amounts of fuel needed to be burned to transport cargo overseas, Europe could have turned to a "high-tech" solution such as solar power or hydrogen power.  Instead they chose a modernized version of a far older technology, which has been proven to work.

In late 2006, DailyTech reported that a German company, SkySail GmbH & Co. KG, was conducting test runs of its cargo ship-based sail design, which deployed a large kite to improve fuel economy.  Now, the maiden voyage of the first commercial adoption of the hybrid system just concluded and was ruled a resounding success.

Beluga Shipping, a German shipping firm, became the first commercial adopter of the technology.  The European Union helped to subsidize the adoption by chipping in 1.2 million Euros ($1.9M USD) as part of its LIFE program, which is designed to help fight climate change.  The sail was installed and measures 1,700-square-feet when deployed.  It flies above the ship like a kite and provides significant pull in windy conditions. 

The sail, comprised of high-tech fabrics and computer controlled to help orient it to maximize efficiency, performed beautifully on its maiden voyage.  The SkySail-equipped ship, Beluga SkySails, completed its first two month journey of 11,952 nautical miles from Germany to Venezuela.  Initial estimates were that the sail would cut the ship's emissions by up to 30 percent, and the Beluga Shipping CEO Neils Stolberg estimated the SkySail would save the ship $1,500/day in fuel costs.

Now that the voyage is over and the first data has been tabulated, the results are almost exactly as promised.  According to Beluga Shipping managing director, Stephan Wrange, the ship used 20 percent less energy than it would have normally, without the sail.  As the normal fuel budget per day is $7,500, this means the device delivered on its promised savings of $1,500/day.  Further, this lower fuel burn cut the ships emissions as promised.  The ship's captain stated that the voyage opened up "“a new chapter in the history of commercial shipping."

While the device may seem expensive to deploy, it is highly durable, and will pay for itself in only a few years.  Assuming constant travel, and an average savings of $1,500/day, the sail would return the EU's investment in only 3.5 years.  Over the lifetime of ships, it could save shipping companies millions of dollars, and help conserve fossil fuel supplies.   Further mass production will help to drop the costs of the sail.

Beluga SkySails will return to sea to complete the second 2 month leg on its 12 month initial trial deployment, and will continue to collect data on the sail's contributions.