Case Study
Design, Manufacture, Transportation and Installation of the FastRig for Smart Green Shipping
OVERVIEW
Smart Green Shipping’s Fastrig is intended to reduce a vessel’s fuel consumption by up to 20% in conjunction with dedicated wind routing software which can calculate the optimum route for a particular vessel based on real time weather conditions.
Malin supported Smart Green Shipping through the process of applying for grant funding from Scottish Enterprise and CMDC, and the development of the Fastrig, from a concept derived from America’s Cup yachts through to a robust, Lloyd’s Register approved design solution capable of being retrofitted to an existing ship. As the design was developed by colleagues at Humphrey’s Yacht Design, the University of Southampton, and Argo, Malin provided production feedback and a real-world engineering perspective.
Malin went on to fabricate the prototype 2/3 scale (20m high) aluminium wingsail and recommended a suitable partner to develop and manufacture the hydraulic control system and base, before the two were integrated at Malin’s manufacturing hub near Glasgow.
The Fastrig was installed at a land test site for 6 months of trials; Malin provided local support, dealing with transportation, lifting and installation issues.
The culmination of the development process was the installation of the rig onboard the Nuclear Transport Vessel Pacific Grebe. Malin took responsibility for the structural aspects of the mobilisation and Lloyd’s Register approval, dovetailing with larger team.
Client: Smart Green Shipping
Project: FastRig Wind-Assisted Propulsion System
Prototype: 2/3 scale, 20m-high aluminium wingsail
Vessel: Pacific Grebe – Nuclear Transport Vessel
Partners: Humphreys Yacht Design, University of Southampton and Argo
Classification: Lloyd’s Register
Services: Production engineering, design development support, fabrication, integration, transportation, lifting and installation, vessel mobilisation and structural approval support
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