We are currently studying the role wind propulsion can play to reduce the emissions from the shipping activity on the trade route between the states of Washington and Alaska. 

Wind Support NYC develops and promotes maritime projects that advance wind propulsion solutions and increase the use of wind – the free renewable energy available at the point of use – in the energy mix.  

This study is supported by the Ocean Conservancy, a US foundation that advocates at the IMO and in Washington DC to decarbonize shipping completely by 2040. Through this study, Wind Support NYC and Ocean Conservancy will expose the key role wind propulsion can immediately play on the pathway to zero emission shipping. The results of the study will be released in April 2023: the report will be made publicly available and we also intend to present the results in a few conferences centered on wind propulsion & sustainable shipping.

The first part of the study introduces the route, i.e. the cargo transported, the ports of calls, the weather & sea conditions as well as the existing fleet sailing between Seattle Tacoma and the ports of Alaska. 

In a first call, wind propulsion technology developers are invited to contribute and assess feasibility, impact and cost of retrofitting one RoRo vessel (TOTE North Star) sailing between Tacoma and Anchorage.

The second call is addressed to shipping companies operating (or developing) new wind enabled commercial vessels. By introducing those vessels in the study, our aim is to demonstrate that wind harnessing technology is an energy saving device, but can also replace fossil fuels as the main source of propulsion.