Cargill, an international producer and marketer of food agricultural, financial and industrial products and services, has signed and agreement with Greek ship owner/manager Anbros Maritime S.A. (Anbros) to install the world's largest kite on its Aghia Marina dry bulk cargo vessel. The Aghia Marina typically transports cargoes of agricultural and industrial raw materials. The 170 metre long carrier, built in 1994, has a service speed of up to 14 knots and can carry about 28,500 tonnes of dry bulk cargoes at any one time, making it the largest vessel to use the wind power technology created bySkySails GmbH (SkySails).
Last February, Cargill announced it has signed a supply agreement with SkySails that aims to use wond power technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the shipping industry. SkySails, based in Hamburg, has developed an innovative, patented technology that uses a kite which flies ahead of the vessel and generates enough propulsion to reduce consumption of bunker fuel by up to 35% in ideal sailing conditions.
Under the terms of the agreement, te 320m2 kite will be installaed on the Aghia Marina in the first quarter of 2012. Anbors has now joined Cargill and SkySails in the development and testing of the technology. For the next five years the Aghian Marina, which Cargill has on long-term charter, will use the SkySails system. SkySails systems will be responsible for training the crew of the Aghia Marina on how to operate the kite propulsion. The SkySails towing kite will be connected to the ship by rope and will fly in figure-of-eight formation at a height of between 100 to 420 metres. It is compter-controlled by an automatic pod to maximize wind benefits.
http://www.skysails.info/english/information-center/press-lounge/photos-graphics/
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