OceanWings has received the Advanced Maritime Technology International Award in the category of Environmental Achievement of the Year – Propulsion System Design for the installation of its latest rigid wingsail on a retrofit bulk carrier – the Maria Topic – with the installation taking place this summer in Japan. Maria Topic illustrates how proven technologies can help shipowners reduce fuel consumption and emissions without waiting for the next generation of vessels.
The retrofit project is part of the WHISPER project, developed in collaboration with Ant. Topic s.r.l. and other WHISPER partners. Maria Topic will become the first bulk carrier equipped with an OceanWings rigid wingsail retrofit.
“This award is a strong recognition of both the potential of retrofits and the growing industrial maturity of wind-assisted propulsion,” said Emmanuel Schalit, CEO of OceanWings. “The Maria Topic project shows that proven technologies can be deployed on existing vessels, helping shipowners reduce emissions and fuel consumption without waiting for the next generation of ships. We are proud to contribute to this transformation alongside Ant. Topic and our partners in the European WHISPER project.”
This year’s Advanced Maritime Technology International Awards, presented at RAI Amsterdam during the Advanced Maritime Technology Expo (formerly Electric & Hybrid Marine Expo), featured a wide array of categories to recognize the scope of innovation and achievement across the maritime sector over the past 12 months. Comprising eight categories, the Advanced Maritime Technology International Awards – formerly known as the Electric & Hybrid Marine Awards – were a celebration of recent advances in marine technology and progress toward a greener and more sustainable industry.