International shipping industry leaders and experts in wind propulsion technology are set to gather at Singapore Maritime Week in March for a two-day ‘Wind Propulsion Asia’ summit. Attending wind energy advocates will use the summit to reflect on forces currently driving the industry’s adoption of wind as an energy source, and to discuss strategies that can further support the industry to take advantage of the significant decarbonisation opportunities presented by direct wind energy use.

The summit is being hosted by the International Windship Association (IWSA) at a pivotal time as the sector approaches the mid-point in the ‘Decade of Wind Propulsion’ campaign. This aim of this campaign, launched by IWSA and its members in 2020, is demonstrating the power of wind propulsion in the first half of the decade, and then delivering at scale in the second half of the decade.

In the last six months of 2024, the number of large vessels with wind propulsion systems installed surged to fifty-four with a further seven ships constructed wind ready. A healthy order book of over eighty wind-powered ships are scheduled for delivery in 2025/6, which will see the number of ships equipped with wind propulsion technology pass the one-hundred ships milestone by the end of this year. After that, IWSA anticipates that the number of ships sailing with the ability to use direct wind energy will at least double year-on-year going forward.

Gavin Allwright, Secretary General, IWSA says: “In 2020 we launched the ‘Decade of Wind Propulsion’ campaign with the aim of achieving a rapid and measurable decarbonisation of the global shipping fleet. As we approach the midway point, or the ‘noon report’ time, in the campaign timeline it is the perfect opportunity to stop and reflect and get heads together to plan what needs to be done to support the increased adoption of the industry’s only truly zero-emission fuel that is delivered at zero cost, directly to ships while they are sailing.”

Santiago Suarez de la Fuente, Ship Performance Manager, Lloyd’s Register, the gold sponsor of the Wind Propulsion Asia Summit, says: “Wind-assisted propulsion has a significant role to play in supporting shipping’s emission reduction ambitions, and with over 100 installations is gaining traction amongst ship operators. With potentially double-digit fuel savings, the technology offers a compelling business case for both traditional- and alternative-fuelled vessels, saving both emissions and costs. Set in one of the world’s most important and pioneering shipping centres, Singapore Maritime Week is the ideal place for industry to gather under the auspices of IWSA’s Summit to discuss how this technology can propel our industry towards 2030 and beyond.”

The Wind Propulsion Asia summit is being held in association with the Singapore Shipping Association, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA), with contribution from the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD).

Each organisation will contribute to roundtables during the summit which will cover the four main topic areas: Technology and Installation, Finance and Facilitation, Policy and Pathways and Technical & Regulation.

Through the plenary sessions and roundtables, attendees will audit the immense work undertaken to bring wind back to the shipping industry to-date. The collaborative roundtables will facilitate attending leaders and experts to thrash out what needs to be done in the future to further support the industry in achieving global, net zero GHG emissions targets for shipping by 2050.

The summit has garnered a great level of industry support, confirming the appetite for wind propulsion discussions in Asia. The Gold sponsor for the summit is Lloyd’s Register. The Silver sponsors for the summit are DNV and Mitsui O.S.K Lines. The Bronze sponsors for the summit are Anemoi, Advanced Wing Systems, bound4blue, Econowind, and Norsepower.

The two-day Wind Propulsion Asia summit, comprising a conference and exhibition, will be held between 25^th – 26^thMarch in the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, one floor below the Singapore Maritime Week exhibition and events. CO₂ emissions generated from the hosting of the summit will be offset by Wärtsilä.