this post was submitted on 09 Sep 2023
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Given the mass of modern ships, wind doesn’t generate enough force to manoeuvre and thrust ships anywhere close to safety and efficiency. The math just doesn’t work. It would take a 5x5km kite (extremely rough estimate) with perfect wind conditions at all times. Maersk is trialing kite thrust augmentation right now, which is projected to reduce oil consumption, but not by a large margin.
It's obviously not as energy-efficient as burning fossil fuels, so it's a hard sell. Honestly, I just want it to come back for the looks (and obviously the environmental health benefits).