Page 153 - ΝΑΥΤΙΚΑ ΧΡΟΝΙΚΑ - ΟΚΤΩΒΡΙΟΣ 2024

Credit: Courtesy of IWSA ❷ There is a multitude of different Wind procedures, operational safety, and emergency
Assisted Propulsion Systems (WAPS). procedures. General awareness training helps
Are some superior to others in terms of familiarise the crew with the systems; however,
performance, ease of installation, and if further system optimisation is desired, then
operational simplicity? the captain and shore staff need to gain a deeper
From a technical and performance perspective, understanding of weather routing, trim adjust-
each system has its pros and cons. From an ments, etc., in order to get the most out of the
Association standpoint, we cannot specifically installations.
comment on these systems. However, we are
actively working with our members to develop ❹ The installation of multiple technolog-
standards for performance calculation, alongside ical solutions has often been empha-
the ITTC, which is developing guidelines for sea sised as essential for achieving ship-
trials. Going forward, these standards will further ping’s decarbonisation. What are some
assist in comparing systems. technological solutions that pair well
We have observed that a learning curve is well with wind-assisted propulsion sys-
underway in all technology segments, with knowl- tems?
edge and experience feeding back into the design There are multiple technologies that work well
cycle. This is leading to system optimisation and with WAPS or that help optimise their deploy-
reduced installation times in shipyards. Although ment. Digitalisation is a key enabler, and with
we are still in the early stages of market rollout, most systems being highly automated, data
we expect these trends to continue, along with from system sensors and control systems
a levelised 10% reduction in costs for every dou- can be fed back to operators and shore-based
bling of installations, which is currently occurring teams, allowing for performance monitoring,
at least every 12 months. predictive maintenance, etc. Weather sensors
onboard, along with space services such as long-
❸ Are there any specific hard skills term forecasting, are also helpful in getting the
required to operate a vessel equipped most out of the WAPS when tied into weather
with WAPS? routing software.
As mentioned earlier, almost all large vessel sys- Other technologies that reduce vessel resis-
tems are fully automated. Therefore, the train- tance, such as anti-fouling or air lubrication, are
ing required is primarily focused on maintenance potentially also a good fit for WAPS. If a vessel is

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