GT Wings has secured Lloyd’s Register (LR) verification of sea trials performance assessment methodology for its AirWing Jet Sail. The verification follows ten months’ ongoing deployment of a demonstrator 20-metre AirWing on board Carisbrooke Shipping’s MV Vectis Progress.
The announcement was made as industry stakeholders convened in London last week for RINA’s Wind Propulsion Conference. The Vectis Progress is a general cargo vessel.
Installed in March 2025, the AirWing has been operating on live commercial routes on board the general cargo vessel Vectis Progress across the Atlantic, navigating North Atlantic winter conditions, as well as on voyages through the Great Lakes and additional Caribbean sailings. The Jet Sail technology has been deployed in a diverse range of sea and weather conditions, enabling GT Wings to collect operational and environmental data to assess real-world fuel and emissions savings.
Also read: Carisbrooke starts trials of AirWing prototype
Independent verification
LR has verified that GT Wings’ performance assessment methodology aligns with recognised industry standards, including ISO 19030 and ITTC performance analysis practices. The review confirms that the approach used to isolate and quantify wind-assisted propulsion benefits is technically robust and suitable for in-service performance evaluation.
As wind-assisted propulsion moves from pilot projects to commercial deployment, transparent and defensible performance measurement is critical. Independent verification of methodology provides shipowners, charterers and financiers with confidence that projected fuel and emissions savings are assessed using recognised standards and reflect real operational conditions.
Liam Campbell, Chief Commercial Officer, GT Wings: ‘LR’s verification confirms our alignment with international standards and validates that our performance predictions are grounded in real‑world evidence. It is an important step toward scaling wind‑assisted propulsion across global shipping and strengthening confidence in this technology as a viable pathway to reducing carbon emissions.’
High power from limited deck space
AirWing is a rigid wind propulsion system based on proprietary Jet Sail technology, designed to generate high propulsive power from limited available deck space and air draft. This makes it particularly well suited to vessels where conventional wind-assist solutions may be constrained.
GT Wings will continue to monitor and analyse operational data from Vectis Progress as part of its ongoing validation programme. This performance analysis is based on a methodology aligned with that accepted by LR, which indicates that the resulting conclusions should be considered valid. Independent verification of the implementation is ongoing.
Picture by GT Wings.
Also read: VIDEO: LDA launches first of three wind-assisted RoRos
