OceanWings and the decarbonisation in shipping

OceanWings (formerly Ayro) is a French industrial company in the maritime sector, with its origins dating back to 2010 and the development of the naval architecture firm VPLP.

OceanWings designs and manufactures a patented concept called OceanWings®, a wind propulsion system adapted for maritime transport and boating. It is an automated wing that allows for efficient use of wind energy. This system, which can be employed on new vessels or in retrofitting, offers a solution that significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions by decreasing fuel consumption by between 10% and 45%, depending on the environment in which the vessel operates. In this way, it contributes to the decarbonisation of global maritime transport, a key issue and one of the most important challenges in the coming years for this sector.

To further its development, OceanWings sought to explore European funding opportunities and to be supported in this new challenge. As a result, the company turned to the accumulated expertise in this field by Zabala Innovation and launched Winnew, a project that secured funding from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) of the European Commission. This programme aimed to support innovative SMEs in the maritime sector.

Winnew began the development of the Oceanwings® 363 concept aboard the Canopée vessel, which transported the Ariane 6 rocket to French Guiana, a mission set to conclude by the end of 2024. The project started in September 2021 and will last 27 months. Its goal was to complete the development of the four wind propulsion units for Canopée, deliver them in December 2022, and then carry out sea trials from early 2023, monitoring Atlantic crossings for approximately a year.

This project has been crucial for OceanWings as it has opened new development opportunities, positioning the company at the heart of the European innovation ecosystem in the maritime sector.

Zabala Innovation supported OceanWings throughout the process, from describing the project setup, conducting the oral interview with a panel of experts, to preparing the grant agreement and finally managing and overseeing Winnew. The post-funding support not only allowed the client to benefit from Zabala Innovation’s expertise in effectively managing European projects, but also ensured that the client adhered to all the rules applicable to this type of funding, from the project’s initiation to the submission of the final report.