French owner Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) has revealed new initiatives to increase its use of wind power to cut emissions.
LDA Group owns, charters and operates more than 100 vessels worldwide and has been searching for ways to significantly reduce emissions along with client Airbus.
"The positive results garnered from the testing of the Airseas kite system has led to the decision to have one permanently fitted on board the 21,500-gt ro-ro cargoship Ville de Bordeaux (built 2004) from 2020 onwards," it said.
The ship transports Airbus parts around Europe.
And earlier this year LDA initiated the designing of a large transoceanic ro-ro with full integration of wind-assisted propulsion.
It plans to continue development work in this field, it said.
The group has also joined the International Windship Association (IWSA) to help further develop the technology.
LDA president Edouard Louis-Dreyfus said: "We are very excited by the development of wind solutions as a key answer to the decarbonisation challenges we are facing today and it is only natural for us to join the International Windship Association in its drive to further develop these technologies.’
Louis-Dreyfus has been a leading proponent of mandatory slow-steaming for vessels at the IMO.
IWS is a not-for-profit association with more than 100 members.
