Syroco joins EU wind propulsion project AWESOME

AWESOME (Advanced Wind Energy System Optimisation & Monitoring for Efficiency) is a Horizon Europe project that will deliver validated performance data, standardised methodologies and practical decision-support tools to reduce uncertainty around wind-assisted propulsion (WAPS). By closing the data gap that still holds back large-scale investment, the project aims to lower risk for shipowners and accelerate the adoption of wind propulsion as a cost-effective emission reduction solution in commercial shipping.

Led by Kongsberg Maritime and supported by 14 European partners, AWESOME brings together industry, research and classification bodies to tackle the technical, operational and regulatory barriers that limit wider WAPS deployment. Syroco joins the consortium as a technology developer and system integrator, contributing its expertise in physics-based vessel modelling and real-time performance monitoring.

The data gap holding wind propulsion back

Wind-assisted propulsion is already delivering results. The Bow Olympus, Odfjell's 49,000 DWT chemical tanker retrofitted with four 22-metre eSAIL® suction sails from bound4blue, has already demonstrated fuel savings of around 20% on selected voyages.

Yet for most shipowners, the main barrier to investment remains uncertainty: uncertainty about real-world performance across routes and loading conditions, about payback periods, and about how WAPS interacts with onboard systems and automation. Without independently verified data and standardised measurement methods, the business case is hard to make with confidence.

"Wind-assisted propulsion is already delivering real results for Odfjell. Through projects like AWESOME, we are building on our long-term efforts to reduce emissions by turning operational experience into knowledge that can be scaled across the industry. We see considerable potential in wind, and initiatives like this are key to unlocking it by improving insight and reducing uncertainty." says Jan Opedal, Manager Projects at Odfjell.

AWESOME will address this directly by generating validated, real-world performance data and turning it into tools and methodologies the wider industry can use.

Two full-scale demonstrators at sea

At the heart of the project are two vessels already in commercial operation, each representing a distinct pathway for wind propulsion adoption.

The retrofit case, Odfjell's chemical tanker, will show how WAPS can be integrated into existing vessels, advancing onboard control, monitoring and crew training. The newbuild case, Neoliner Origin from Neoline, is a 136-metre ro-ro cargo vessel equipped with 3,000 m² of sail area supplied by Chantiers de l'Atlantique, designed to reduce fossil fuel-related emissions by up to 80% compared with a conventional vessel of similar size. It demonstrates how wind propulsion can be optimised from the design stage.

Together, these demonstrators will produce robust operational data across two vessel types and trading profiles, enabling the consortium to validate performance models, refine measurement methodologies and assess long-term behaviour under real conditions.

Syroco's role in AWESOME

Accurately measuring the performance contribution of a wind system is harder than it sounds. A vessel's fuel consumption varies with speed, loading, hull condition, current and weather. Isolating the specific energy input from WAPS requires a robust vessel model and a rigorous attribution methodology.

This is where Syroco's contribution lies. Syroco Live builds physics-based digital twins of vessels and integrates real-time operational data to give operators a continuous, accurate picture of performance. For wind-assisted vessels, that means quantifying, at every moment, how much propulsive work the wind is doing, and how routing and speed decisions can maximise that free energy contribution.

Within AWESOME, Syroco will work with partners to develop the monitoring frameworks and performance metrics that the industry needs. This work extends beyond the project itself: the methodologies produced will inform regulatory frameworks such as FuelEU Maritime and future IMO standards, and help establish a common language for evaluating WAPS performance across the sector.

Photo credits:
AWESOME consortium: Maritime CleanTech
Bow Olympus: Ruben Soltvedt
Neoliner Origin: Arthur Jacobs