Wind-assisted propulsion for shipping: status and perspectives

Paper in proceeding, 2017

The major objective of this paper is to summarize the status of wind-assisted propulsion for shipping, especially focus on the relevant literature published during the last ten years. According to its research directions within wind-assisted technologies, the status summary is divided into four sections. Firstly, the drivers of utilizing wind propulsion technologies and the operating principles of four popular wind propulsion technologies are introduced. Next the deployment status and technical considerations of current wind-assisted propulsion for shipping are illustrated. Then the barriers to uptake and development of wind propulsion technologies are discussed. Finally, some perspectives regarding the future developments and use of wind-assisted propulsion technologies for shipping activities are presented. The possible actions that are helpful to overcome the barriers in developing and utilizing wind-assisted propulsion technologies are proposed and analyzed.