UK-based wind propulsion innovator, GT Wings, has been awarded a £225,000 grant by the UK Department for Transport (DfT) as part of the Smart Shipping Acceleration Fund.

The grant will support a pioneering project to further develop GT Wings’ AirWing technology in collaboration with the University of Bath and Carisbrooke Shipping.

The AirWing, a rigid wingsail designed to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the maritime sector, will benefit from this additional funding aimed at advancing its self-learning control systems. These enhancements will optimise the AirWing’s performance in real-time, allowing it to better adapt to changing wind conditions, and improving both technical and economic viability. The five-month project is expected to culminate in the installation of the first AirWing unit on a 130-meter UK-owned cargo vessel later this year.