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Lightweight, data-driven, wing-sail solutions for global shipping

 

 Smart Green Shipping is an award-winning collaborative, systems-design house. We develop technical, commercially viable, digitally enabled wind-powered solutions to accelerate shipping’s green transition.

Wind-assist is arguably the best way of meeting global shipping’s emissions reductions targets in line with science and it reduces operating costs

We call it next generation Smart Green Shipping

Listen to our Winds of Change podcast to learn more

 
 

FastRig Wing-Sail

How it works

From the Polynesian voyaging canoes to the Golden Hind, the wind has been transporting and powering ships across the globe for centuries.

 We believe we should harness and use this incredible free, abundant, power that is exclusively available to any ship equipped to harness it. But this does not mean we have to use the same technology, instead, we use Smart 21st-century technology.

 

Our FastRigs can provide up to 30% of the thrust per annum for merchant ships

Engineering in progress

We are a fast-growing start-up
designing, building and installing our retrofittable FastRigs for merchant shipping. We test on land initially to ensure safety and to allow stakeholders to input into next design iterations. Then we are demonstrating on a ship in the next few months.

Here’s our FastRig story.

FastRig in construction

We’re delighted to be working with Malin Group in Glasgow who have manufactured our lightweight aluminium wingsail.

The base section was maufactured by Caley Ocean Systems for us.

  • FastRig in Livery designed by Lorne Street Primary School

  • Inside the FastRig wingsail

  • FastRig Base

  • FastRig Base

Hunterston PARC

The site for our test FastRig. Hunterston is a deep water port on the banks of the Clyde. We’re re-using a former test wind turbine foundation; it’s really exposed - as close as we can get to being at sea without being at sea - and so an excellent place to test our wingsail.

  • Repurposing the original Foundation

  • repurposing the old wind turbine foundation to take the FastRig

  • Delivering the FastRig base unit

  • Lifting the base into place

  • Securing the Base unit onto the Foundation

    Slowly lowering the base into the supports

  • Fitting the FastRig base unit onto the foundation

    Fitted like a glove

  • Securing the FastRig Base

  • Delivering the FastRig wingsail to Hunterston

  • Craning the FastRig onto the base

  • Lowering the FastRig

  • Connecting the wingsail to the base for a complete FastRig

    Slowly lowering the rig into place

How did we get here?

Timeline of SGS

£100k raised via InnovateUK and UKI2S

Digital Simulation on 80,000dwt vessel verified
Fuel saving of min. 20% pa

£40,000 raised via ESA BIC

Creation of FastRoute Predict

£5m raised from Scottish Enterprise, MOL DryBulk,
and Private Investors

Design of FastRig for land-based prototype

£4.2m raised with UoS

FastRoute Predict developed

Build of FastRig for land-based prototype

Build of FastRig for ship-based prototype

Better for Business

Optimised cost-effective and future-fit shipping solutions
Reduction in scope 1 and 3 emissions and associated fuel and carbon costs
available via a de-risked wind-as-a-service lease service to reduce upfront capital costs
Satisfying demands from cargo owners for green shipping

Better for the Planet

wind assisted shipping as faster way to remove emissions from shipping in line climate science
Most efficient use of offshore wind power
Safer and quieter for marine biodiversity
Recyclable materials

Our Supporters

We are honoured to benefit from the support of these organisations

Awards

Winners of  'The One to Watch' Award

IWSA -
Diane Gilpin won  
"Outstanding Contribution to the Wind Propulsion Sector Award"

Winners of the Solar Impulse - Efficient Solution Awards 2021

Holyrood’s Climate Action Awards 2024 - Technology and Innovation Award Winner

'26 for COP26'

SGS was one of 26 projects selected because of its ability to “move the needle on climate change"

BBC Woman’s Hour 2020 Power List

GREEN4SEA 2025 Awards - Personality Award won by Diane Gilpin