'Spinning sail' rebooted to cut fuel and make ocean tankers greener
by Damian Carrington from Environment | The Guardian on (#2FSWN)
Invented a century ago, rotating columns fixed to ship's deck interact with wind to provide forward thrust and could make 10% fuel saving
An ocean-going tanker is to be fitted with a type of "spinning sail" invented almost a century ago in a step that could lead to more environmentally friendly tankers worldwide.
The unusual sails are rotating columns fixed to the deck of the ship, whose interaction with the wind provides forward thrust. The trial is backed by Maersk, one of the world's biggest shipping companies and Shell's shipping arm.
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