Investing in wind-assisted deepsea shipping
Econowind, a Dutch company from Zeewolde, has secured EUR 1 million in development capital from Invest International, to advance and test its VentoFoil XL, a 24-30 m high wind sail designed for deepsea shipping.
The technology, inspired by aviation principles, aims to reduce fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions by up to 15%. Having previously developed smaller VentoFoil sails for coastal vessels, Econowind now plans to expand into deepsea shipping, where fuel consumption is significantly higher. The funding will support the design, construction and testing of two VentoFoil XL prototypes, which will undergo land and sea trials before entering the market.
“With this investment we can accelerate our focus on the deepsea market,” said Frank Nieuwenhuis, CEO of Econowind. The company is working with Damen Shipyards and other shipping lines to facilitate a global roll-out of the technology. The first prototypes are expected to be developed in two years. (js)