UK company Bluewater Engineering (BWE), the inventor of the Skytug concept, has recently been awarded a grant from the Transport Research and Innovation Grants (TRIG) programme, financed by the UK Department for Transport (DfT).
The TRIG programme aims to encourage engineers and other innovators to develop ‘blue sky’ research into real world solutions to address some of transport’s most pressing issues, such as decarbonisation of shipping.
BWE MD James McGarley said: “We’re delighted to have been awarded TRIG funding. We are looking forward to achieving small-scale proof-of-concept of our patented kite handling system, which is fundamental to Skytug’s technology.”
The catamaran hull of Skytug was designed and tested by engineering consultancy ICE. The hull is fitted with controllable daggerboard type hydrofoils to counteract the pulling force from the kites and keep the tug and thus the towed ship going in the desired direction.
Skytug is a kite-propelled ocean tug, which is said to offer a breakthrough solution to the technology adoption dilemma, because it can offer clean propulsion as a service, without the need for shipowners to invest in the installation, maintenance and operation of complex technology. Skytug could provide up to 100% of ships’ propulsion during transoceanic sailing. It has two intended sizes, each of which will carry sufficient kite power to tow ships at full speed, serving ship sizes ranging from 35,000 to 200,000-plus dwt. Freedom from spatial constraints gives Skytug the room to pack a powerful kite array, beyond the limits of that which could be stowed aboard ship. This, coupled with patent-pending systems technology, enables it to provide full-speed propulsion for ships, using only wind power. Skytug services are considered to be competitive with fossil fuels, saving costs as well as carbon, for ships in the existing fleet.
