Maritime industry adopts wind propulsion and electric batteries to reduce emissions

Maritime companies are deploying new vessel technologies to reduce carbon emissions and support the offshore wind sector.

Baltic Shipping Company has added two new coastal vessels, the M/V Baltic Iron and the M/V Baltic Timber, to its fleet. These 3,550 TPM ships utilize a hybrid system combining large battery packs with Econowind VentoFoil hydrofoils. The wind-assisted propulsion is expected to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 12%.

In Spain, Astilleros Ría de Vigo is constructing an Electric Commissioning Service Operation Vessel (eCSOV) for Bibby Marine. Designed by Seaplace, the vessel is intended for offshore wind farm operations and will feature over 24 MWh of battery storage, making it one of the highest-capacity electric vessels in its category. The ship will use a combination of electric propulsion and methanol-powered auxiliary engines to minimize the environmental impact of offshore logistics.