Smart Green Shipping (SGS) has successfully completed sea trials of its FastRig wind-assisted propulsion system (WAPS) aboard the MV Pacific Grebe, a specialised nuclear waste carrier.
SGS managed to install, trial, and uninstall the lightweight system dockside within just eight weeks, meeting the requirements of both the ship owner and the Class Society. The FastRig’s modular, stowable design proved effective in addressing key industry concerns such as installation time, operational safety, visibility, and additional energy consumption.
The key objectives were to:
- Demonstrate the FastRig’s safety and robustness – certification and compliance
- Demonstrate the easy installation and deinstallation of the FastRig
- Demonstrate the ease of operation by the crew
- Corroborate the digital analyses tools co-developed by SGS and the university against real-world sea trials
- Develop aerodynamic and systems design of SGS Fast systems
Key outcomes of the land trials and next steps
The land-based testing demonstrated:
- The hardware’s durability in extreme weather conditions
- The effectiveness of emergency stowage procedures and rapid deployment capabilities
- The viability and simplicity of remotely operating the wingsail
Key finding
The presence of cranes does not significantly impact the FastRig’s ability to create driving force to propel the vessel at the wind angles tested.
The trials marked an industry first, with SGS chartering its own vessel and conducting tests under rigorous International Towing Tank Conference (ITTC) protocols. This allowed for full access to vessel performance data and enabled third-party validation of FastRig’s fuel-saving potential, up to 40% annually, by The University of Southampton and clean tech consultancy Houlder.
FastRig’s small deck footprint, intuitive automation, and use of commercially available parts also contribute to ease of maintenance and integration into existing vessel operations, SGS notes.
This process provided great insight into the technical detail required for accurate performance predictions and was a great opportunity to work with a wide group of industry partners driving forward maritime decarbonisation
… explained Dr Joseph Banks, Associate Professor in Maritime Engineering, University of Southampton
Backed by supporters like Drax Group and funded through the UK Government’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition, SGS is now moving toward commercial deployment.
This is the launchpad for FastRig’s commercialisation and gives the UK a once-in-a-generation green growth opportunity to create jobs and value in engineering, digitalisation, insurance, finance and maritime law
… said Di Gilpin, CEO, Smart Green Shipping. During the 2025 GREEN4SEA Athens Forum, Di Gilpin explained that with continued refinement and more data collection, this system has the potential to be a viable option for the future of sustainable shipping.
