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Oceanbird

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Concept for wind-powered cargo vessels For the trimaran sailboat, see Ocean Bird.
History
RouteTransatlantic crossings
In service2026 (planned)
StatusIn the prototyping stage
General characteristics
TypeWind-powered vessel, roll-on/roll-off
Displacement32 000 tons
Length200 m (660 ft)
Beam40 m (130 ft)
Height65 m (213 ft)
PropulsionWind-assisted propulsion, four sails
Speed10 knots
Capacity7,000 cars

Oceanbird is a concept for wind-powered cargo vessels under development by Wallenius Marine. The concept aims to lower emissions by up to 90 percent and the design was developed in collaboration with KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Swedish maritime technology company SSPA. Financial backing for the development was provided by the Swedish Transport Agency. In 2021, Wallenius announced a partnership with Swedish heavy industry company Alfa Laval to further develop the concept's wingsail design. Construction of a full-scale prototype wing was commenced in 2023, to be installed ashore at Landskrona to test the concept and to develop the crew operation and automation aspects. Meanwhile, Wilhelmsen's car carrier Tirranna has been prepared to receive the second prototype wing, which is planned to be fitted in early 2025.

The concept features expandable wingsails that can rotate 360 degrees and tilt down if needed. The masts will measure 40 m (130 ft) for a total height above the waterline of 65 m (213 ft). The rigging will be made from steel and composite materials and resemble airplane wings. An auxiliary engine will be used to navigate harbors and provide emergency power.

While the design is meant to be usable for different types of ships and even retrofitted to existing vessels, the first vessel from the Oceanbird concept is planned to be a 200 m (660 ft) long roll-on/roll-off ship with a capacity of up to 7,000 cars. Such ships are optimized for transatlantic routes. The first vessel based on the concept is planned to set sail in 2026.

In February 2021, shipping company Wallenius Wilhelmsen announced their intention to order a vessel of the Oceanbird concept, tentatively named Orcelle Wind.

Partnership with ABBA Voyage

In May 2022, Wallenius was confirmed as the official partner to the concert residency ABBA Voyage in London. In this partnership, Wallenius will act as the exclusive logistics provider for ABBA Voyage, in addition to providing support and consultation around sustainability. The partnership also allows for future Oceanbird vessels to be named after ABBA songs. Inside the ABBA Arena in London, the VIP lounge section is named The Oceanbird Departure Lounge, as an homage to the namesake wind-powered concept.

See also

References

  1. Nield, David (22 September 2020). "This Gigantic Sailboat Design Could Use Wind Power to Transport 7,000 Cars". ScienceAlert. Retrieved 2020-10-08.
  2. ^ Levin, Tim. "This cargo-ship concept is powered by gigantic wings and wants to reduce emissions by 90% — check out 'Oceanbird'". Business Insider. Retrieved 2020-10-08.
  3. "Alfa Laval och Wallenius går samman för att leverera lösningar för vinddrivna fartyg" ["Alfa Laval and Wallenius join forces to deliver solutions for wind-powered ships".]. News Powered by Cision (in Swedish). 29 June 2021. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  4. Mandra, Jasmina Ovcina (30 March 2023). "Oceanbird takes flight: full-scale land-based prototype set to be assembled in Sweden". Offshore Energy. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  5. "Oceanbird's First Wing Sail Nears Installation". Maritime Executive. Vero Beach, FL. 30 June 2024. Archived from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  6. "Swedish Group Just Debuted Wind-Powered Car Carrier With Towering Wings". interestingengineering.com. 2020-09-11. Retrieved 2020-10-08.
  7. ^ "The Oceanbird concept". The Oceanbird. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  8. "To protect the ocean, some ships harness renewable energy". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  9. "Orcelle Wind: Wallenius Wilhelmsen's first full-scale wind-powered RoRo ship". Wallenius Wilhelmsen. February 17, 2021. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  10. "ABBA Voyage forms sustainable partnership with wind-powered shipping company". www.musicweek.com. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
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