Major Milestone for Wind4Shipping (W4S)
Last week, we reached an important milestone for the Wind4Shipping (W4S) project: the official unveiling of the first large steel Wing Sails, Grutte Pier named after the historic sailor from the Northern Netherlands, known for his strength and bravery.
Mr. Friso Douwstra, Regional Minister of the Province of Fryslân and member of the European Committee of the Regions, officially launched the event together with Eva (7) and Joris (4), our youngest participants. Their presence was a meaningful reminder that our work contributes to the future of the next generation and to a climate-proof Europe.
In line with our project’s objectives, companies from across the region came together during the event to explore how they can join the growing value chain for wind-propulsion technologies.
Econowind presented the project’s progress, followed by an interactive panel discussion covering the following themes:
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Offshore wind propulsion is the fastest available solution for making shipping more sustainable.
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Emission-neutral fuels are currently both insufficiently available and not economically viable.
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Scaling up the production of wing sails can reduce the payback period to three years.
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There is no profit to be made directly from wind, which explains why the energy sector has not focused on it.
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Effective international regulation such as global CO₂ or sulphur emission taxation is essential for large-scale adoption of offshore wind propulsion.
Thanks to this successful moment, and the participation of representatives from the value chain, government, harbour administrations, and policymakers, we are one step closer to building a strong Dutch value chain for Wing Sails. The W4S project focuses on scaling, robotisation, and accelerating production so that more vessels can benefit from wind-assisted propulsion in the coming years.
Even if you weren’t able to join us, you can still experience the energy and excitement of the day through our recap video below.