Foundation

Foundation is out by the sea

The 100-ton prototype foundation is now standing by the sea in Landskrona. The next step is to install the steel mast and the aerodynamically shaped composites, and then start testing!

This Spring, we will complete the assembly of two full-scale prototypes: one on land for testing, crew training and optimizing the automation system, and one onboard the vessel Tirranna. Last week a significant milestone was taken when the foundation of the land-based prototype moved out of the assembly hall at Oresund Drydocks to its place by the water.
“It feels great today to reach this point in the project. It’s like the ending a chapter when we are transporting the foundation outside, says Landskrona Site Manager Björn Ohlsson.

Björn Ohlsson
Björn Ohlsson

Sailing on land

During the upcoming months, we will install the steel mast that carry the heavy loads and after that the composites in aerodynamic shape. The first tilting is planned in April.
“Then we will start to actuate it: tilt it up and down, fold it and eventually we will start to sail on land to measure the forces we create with this design” says Magnus MackAldener, Head of R&D at Oceanbird.

Magnus MackAldener
Magnus MackAldener

Twin sail onboard

The foundation sides on the vessel Tirranna are already mounted on deck. Each time the vessel arrives in a European port, it will get another part onboard, to avoid off hire and ensure sufficient testing of each segment before moving into the next. Later this year, the actual wing sail will be lifted onboard.
“There we will show the wing in its real condition, where we have heavy sea and different winds, and we will show which value it brings to the customers. We build the first sail on land to get to a safe space where we can learn and improve, before we put it into real tests on Tirranna” says Magnus MackAldener.

Vessel with wing sail
This project has received funding from European Union’s Horizon Europe
Framework program under grant no 101096673.

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