MS ''Onego Deusto'' (christened ''Beluga SkySails'') is a commercial

container A container is any receptacle or enclosure for holding a product used in storage, packaging, and transportation, including shipping. Things kept inside of a container are protected on several sides by being inside of its structure. The term ...

cargo ship A cargo ship or freighter is a merchant ship that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's List of seas, seas and Ocean, oceans each year, handling the bulk of international trade. ...

. It is the world's first ship partially powered by a

computer A computer is a machine that can be Computer programming, programmed to automatically Execution (computing), carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations (''computation''). Modern digital electronic computers can perform generic set ...

-controlled

kite rig Kite rigs are wind-assisted propulsion systems for propelling a vehicle. They differ from conventional sails in that they are flown from kite control lines, not supported by masts. Vehicles driven by kites include boats, buggies, and vehicles ...

, called the

SkySails SkySails Group GmbH is a Hamburg-based company that sells kite rigs to propel cargo ships, large yachts and fishing vessels by wind energy as well as Airborne wind energy, airborne wind energy systems for electricity production from High-altitu ...

system. It consists of a kite similar to a huge

paraglider Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched Glider (aircraft), glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure. The pilot sits in a :wikt:harness, harness or in ...

of up to area.

Kite power

The kite has an area of and reduces fuel consumption by 15–20% on average; it was set to be upgraded to in order to increase fuel savings by about 30%. Stephan Wrage, managing director of

GmbH – which installed the kite – announced: "During the next few months we will finally be able to prove that our technology works in practice and significantly reduces fuel consumption and emissions." Verena Frank, project manager at Beluga Shipping GmbH, SkySails GmbH's partner, further stated that "the project's core concept was using wind energy as auxiliary propulsion power and using wind as a free of charge energy". This

kite A kite is a tethered heavier than air flight, heavier-than-air craft with wing surfaces that react against the air to create Lift (force), lift and Drag (physics), drag forces. A kite consists of wings, tethers and anchors. Kites often have ...

is connected to the ship by a cable, and controlled by an automatic pod of actuators to maximize the wind benefits. The kite functions at an altitude between and . By using this system it is possible to improve the speed of the ship and reduce fuel consumption. SkySails calculates that the use of its technology worldwide could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 146 million tons (about 0.6% of the entire global energy-related emissions of CO₂). SkySails estimates the potential upgrade market for its system at more than 40,000 ships. Through 2013, the company was targeting less than 1% of that market – about 400 ships. During an evaluation performed between 2006 and 2009, the kite mounted on MS Beluga Skysails was estimated to achieve 5% fuel savings on an average route mix, and up to 10-12% fuel savings on North Atlantic and North Pacific routes.

Launch

The ship, owned by the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

firm Beluga Fleet Management GmbH, a subsidiary of Beluga Shipping GmbH within the Beluga Group, was launched 17 December 2007 and left the northern

port of

Bremerhaven Bremerhaven (; ) is a city on the east bank of the Weser estuary in northern Germany. It forms an exclave of the Bremen (state), city-state of Bremen. The Geeste (river), River Geeste flows through the city before emptying into the Weser. Brem ...

to Guanta,

Venezuela Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...

on January 22, 2008. The ship was carrying cargo for

DHL DHL (originally named after founders Dalsey, Hillblom and Lynn) is a multinational Import-Export Expert Company, founded in the United States and headquartered in Bonn, Germany. It provides courier, package delivery, and express mail service, ...

which sponsored the initiative.

United States Navy charter

On October 6, 2008, the United States Naval

Military Sealift Command The Military Sealift Command (MSC) is an organization that controls the replenishment and military transport ships of the United States Navy. Military Sealift Command has the responsibility for providing sealift and ocean transportation for all U ...

announced it had chartered the ''Beluga Skysails'' to transport

Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

and

Air Force An air force in the broadest sense is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army aviati ...

supplies from three European ports of call to the United States.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Onego Deusto 2007 ships Merchant ships of the Netherlands Sailing ships of the Netherlands Ships built in the Netherlands Solarpunk