风帆或风筝助力货船

在清风中降低能源消耗

见解

自人类首次在公海上活动以来，我们充分利用了风能。在过去数年间，货船也越来越多地利用风力作为推进辅助工具。特别是经营公平贸易和有机产品的公司经常将货物装载在帆船上。除了速度较慢之外，这种船舶的最大绊脚石似乎是船舶货舱的空间有限。然而，随着IMO（海事组织）2020排放法规即将收紧，作为对传统推进方法的支持，额外的风帆或风筝变得越来越有吸引力。采用风帆或风筝的主要好处就是节省成本并减少海上运输产生的大量空气污染。

Ships copy the principle of kiteboarding

The idea of using sails and kites is not totally new. Around the turn of the millennium, the Hamburg-based company SkySails was already experimenting with a fully automated towing kite propulsion system which should act as a support to the motors of cargo ships and large yachts. These systems also had the goal of making the ships more profitable and environment-friendly. During the maiden voyage in 2008, the kites were extensively tested on a route of almost twelve thousand nautical miles. Although the effects were not as far-reaching as expected, the company was satisfied with the trial runs. Unfortunately, the approaching global economic crisis and the consequent slump in fuel prices resulted in the promising project being put on ice.

Airbus（空客）重振特技风筝的想法

Airbus has plans to power its large cargo ships on the high seas with the aid of giant stunt kites. AirSeas, a subsidiary of the European aircraft manufacturer, has developed a wind propulsion system for its own fleet – Airbus operates four freighters which, beside Europe, transport aircraft parts to plants in Mobile, USA as well as Tianjin, China. According to the manufacturer, the kites, which are up to 1,000 square meters large, will provide around 20 percent of the required propulsion energy and reduce fuel consumption by the same amount.

In fall 2018, the first kite was ordered and christened with the name “SeaWing”. Its use will be partially automated: When there is no wind, the sail remains folded up on the bow of the freighter. When the meteorological station reports a sufficiently strong supply of wind, the captain simply activates the sail with the push of a button. The kite flies at an altitude between 200 and 300 meters, where the currents of the wind are considered to be the most favorable. Connected to the ship by a light, yet extremely tearproof rope, the kite puts the force of the wind to maximum use. As soon as the wind subsides, the kite sail is automatically lowered.

节省数百万并减少排放？

当然，AirSeas也希望向其他远洋承运公司提供特技风筝。由于其船舶造成的空气污染（海上运输是世界上最大的污染源之一），它们正面临着越来越大的压力。AirSeas保证，一艘配备SeaWing的船舶，承运人就可节省一到两百万美元的燃料。这些节省的成本在短时间内就会偿清为这套系统支付的成本。Airbus预计，每年可减少8,000吨的二氧化碳排放量。此外，该系统还可减少二氧化硫、亚硝气和炭黑等污染物。我们衷心祝愿这一雄心勃勃的项目能取得最具成功意义的运输助力工具。

[Translate to 汉语 (Simplified):] Bureau MAURIC/Renault SAS

Renault（雷诺）也对风帆感兴趣

汽车制造商Renault也在关注清洁帆船动力，这是其在2010年至2022年间将二氧化碳排放量降低四分之一目标的一部分。这家法国汽车巨头是“Neoline”公司（总部位于法国南特）的第一个客户。Neoline公司开发了一种带有四个帆的（汽车）运输船，最近它开始建造两艘订购船中的第一艘。这些船将于2021年交付给Renault，用于将新车运往加拿大沿海的法国海外领地圣皮埃尔和密克隆。

该船长136米，配有两个双桅杆，货物可通过船尾的坡道装载。该船配有三个装载空间，适用于运输各种货物（包括重型货物、集装箱和超大货物）。

减少二氧化碳排量高达90％？

据制造商“Neoline”称，与相同容量的传统船舶相比，该技术可将二氧化碳排量减少高达90％ —同时提供绝对可接受的巡航速度。此类船只能以11节的速度穿越大西洋，并在13天内到达目的地。而相同航线上，以重燃料油为动力的传统船只约需8天。

超4,000平米的帆区需15名船员操作。在货舱后部，“Neoliner”甚至可为特殊运输—无论是超大型工业机器、大型卡车还是其他类型—提供9.8米的高度。该公司希望强化的装载灵活性能带来更高的盈利能力。毕竟，竞争对手是不会睡觉的。Becker Marine Systems（贝克尔船舶系统）和Wallenius Marine（纽斯航运）除了纯粹的滚装汽车运输工具外，已在计划开发采用风帆助力的下一代货船项目。

无论这些努力可能引向何方，我们都祝福这些推进理念，并希望看到一场“强风革命”。世界的海洋肯定会因此而改变风景。