The digital twin and data science environment being developed by the SeaTech Consortium for the testing of a dynamic wing and new engine control technology will ultimately pave the way for the testing of other technologies.

The EU-funded SeaTech project began in 2019 with the aim of combining bow-mounted foils with new, sophisticated control systems for a Wärtsilä dual-fuel 31 engine to allow the engine to work in tandem optimally with the foils.

The SeaTech engine is an ultra-high energy conversion, dual-fuel engine supported by a precisely controlled combustion process to reduce emissions. The propulsion innovation consists of a bow-mounted bio-mimetic dynamic wing capturing wave energy to create extra propulsion thrust. This reduces required engine power whilst also dampening undesirable ship motions such as rolling and pitching in high or moderate wave conditions.