The number of small ships sailing using wind as the main source of energy or wind-assisted propulsion is gradually increasing.
In recent months there has been a further increase in the interest of several ship owners in such vessels.
According to the International Windsurfing Association (IWSA), at the end of March 2024 there were 37 ships with wind propulsion installed along with another eleven ships ready to use it, with a total capacity of 2.5 million DWT.
Of these vessels ten were small cruise ships with traditional equipment and the rest were small sailing freighters and fishing vessels.
Double number
The IWSA pointed out that the number of ships that have installed wind propulsion (including wind-ready units) has effectively doubled in the twelve months to April 2024.
In the last twelve months to March 2024, 22 wind-ready vessels were delivered, compared to eight the previous year.
According to the IWSA, various parts of the market are showing interest in developments in wind propulsion technology.
