A nuclear transport firm is making waves by harnessing the power of the wind, partnering with a renewable marine technology specialist to deploy a retractable sail on one of its vessels in a bid to reduce harmful pollution from its operations.
Nuclear Transport Solutions announced that it became the first company of its kind to install and test Smart Green Shipping's FastRig wingsail.
The tech specialist boasts that its sail utilizes FastRoute's artificial intelligence-driven software to optimize route planning and requires no additional crew or portside infrastructure changes. Furthermore, it is made with 100% recycled materials.
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As NTS — an arm of the United Kingdom's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority — explains, nuclear transport for safe disposal is necessary and has been ongoing for more than 50 years, as the materials have a wide range of applications, being used to conduct life-saving scans in hospitals, in scientific research, to produce clean energy, and more.
However, per Transport & Environment, shipping accounts for around 3% of carbon pollution worldwide, contributing significantly to the warming global temperature associated with myriad issues, including food insecurity. The International Maritime Organization warns that that could grow by as much as 50% by 2050 unless the sector takes action.
Fuel alternatives such as clean ammonia and hydrogen are among the solutions already in the works. Now, as Interesting Engineering writes, NTS believes its FastRig trial could not only contribute to greener nuclear transport but also may end up "revolutionizing ship navigation and significantly cutting emissions and fuel consumption industry-wide."
According to the news release, a full commercial installation could reduce fuel usage and carbon pollution by as much as 30%. NTS specialist vessel Pacific Grebe began running trials with FastRig last month after leaving its home port of Barrow-in-Furness in England, and the team is eagerly awaiting the results.
"We are proud to be working with Smart Green Shipping on this pioneering project," NTS CEO Seth Kybird said in the release "... The addition of the FastRig system aligns with our goals for sustainable operations and demonstrates our commitment to pioneering green technologies in the maritime sector."
"We're delighted to work in partnership with them," SGS CEO Diane Gilpin added. "Their ships demand the very highest safety standards, and our collaboration shows FastRigs can be installed on any ship."
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