Bulk carrier with WindWings technology arrives in the port of Gdynia

For the first time, the bulk carrier MV Pyxis Ocean using WindWings technology has arrived at the Port of Gdynia, the Port of Gdynia announced on Tuesday. WindWings resemble sails, thanks to which the vessel uses wind power to reduce fuel consumption during the voyage.

– MV Pyxis Ocean, which uses WindWings technology, has arrived at the Port of Gdynia for the first time. WindWings are made of steel and composite, which makes it possible to save up to 30 per cent of fuel, depending on the wind and sea conditions,” Aleksander Wicka, head of the marketing department of the Port of Gdynia Authority, told PAP in a press release.

As he stressed, “the visit of the Pyxis Ocean vessel is proof that the maritime economy is taking another huge step towards the decarbonisation of maritime transport”.

– The Port of Gdynia is one of the largest ports in the Baltic Sea region and is an important transport node in the TEN-T core network, whose priority is, among other things, to promote the use of alternative, particularly zero- or low-carbon energy sources and propulsion systems. The Port of Gdynia, as an environmentally friendly port, is often referred to as a Greenport precisely because of our initiatives related to environmental protection, sustainable development and the use of green technologies in port operations,” said Wicka.

Tomasz Pietrewicz, CEO of HES Gdynia Bulk Terminal, quoted in the information, noted that the visit of MV Pyxis Ocean is a major event for the Port of Gdynia and an expression of great confidence on the part of the client.

– We had to analyse the technical conditions of the vessel, its construction, in order to be able to safely unload and operate on this type of vessel. This is a new experience for us – he noted.

Aleksander Wicka also pointed out that many pro-environmental initiatives are being implemented in the Port of Gdynia.

– In recent years, the Port of Gdynia has made significant investments, including in a modern system for managing waste associated with ship operations. As part of the priorities related to environmental protection, important steps are being taken, such as securing port basins against the spread of oil pollution and introducing innovative solutions related to alternative energy sources to reduce carbon dioxide emissions when ships are at berth. An example of this approach is the equipping of the new Public Ferry Terminal on the Polish Quay with on-shore power supply technology, which allows ferries to be powered by electricity from land while at berth, he explained.

Deputy Director for Development at the Port of Gdynia Authority Katarzyna Hlebowicz-Wojciechowska added that another element, very important for the environment, is the monitoring of noise and pollution.

– In order to react quickly it is necessary to have information about what is happening in our environment. Therefore, there is a very extensive environmental monitoring system in the Port of Gdynia. Round-the-clock and essentially permanent monitoring of noise and dust emissions into the air has been carried out at the port for four years. Its results are available to the public on our website,” Hlebowicz-Wojciechowska pointed out.

Source: PortalMorski.pl