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Solution Maker for the Environment
XP Sea and its partners join forces and initiate innovative maritime projects.
Environmental expectations in the maritime and offshore domains are huge.
The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the reduction of underwater noises and the production of clean marine energy are the three axes in which XP Sea is committed.
The ideas come through the presentations and discussions during the shows in which XP Sea and its partners participate, and through the reading of scientific articles. This reflection leads to internal studies and articles published and presented at international conferences.
The solutions meet IMO recommendations and the expectations of a community that is increasingly aware of environmental issues.
Numerous studies have shown the significant impact of underwater noises emitted by global maritime traffic on marine life. Over the last six decades, the world fleet has more than tripled, and the average ocean noise has increased by 20 dB during this period.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) and other maritime organizations have issued recommendations to reduce underwater noises and ecosystem disruption. Ship noises particularly disrupt the communication between cetaceans, endangering their lives.
Drawing on their experience in wind propulsion and ship motorization, XP Sea and Semantic TS, experienced in underwater acoustics, have combined their expertise to propose a solution to mitigate underwater noises.
Until now, no one had studied the optimization of the wind propulsion / motor propulsion mix to reduce underwater noises. The challenge was to quantify the contribution of wind propulsion in reducing underwater noises.
Based on this observation, the partnership conducted a study on a standard cargo ship equipped with wind propulsion to determine the optimal speed of the ship to avoid propeller cavitation.
At constant ship speed, the 14 dB reduction between the 100% motor case and the wind/motor mix was translated in terms of its impact on the communication distance between cetaceans, resulting in an improvement of 28 km in the communication distance. This is an exciting result!!
Crédit photo : Neoline/Mauric/Chantiers de l’Atlantique
Wind propulsion is a privileged domain in which XP Sea has established itself through projects like Grain de Sail 2, a new cargo vessel propelled by sails. As a member of the International Wind Ship Association (IWSA) since 2021, XP Sea actively participates in the association’s events and contributes with innovative ideas.
The study conducted by XP Sea and Semantic TS on the contribution of wind propulsion to reducing underwater noise has achieved great success within the association. The article was selected by IWSA and RINA and included in a collection of articles titled MEPC 80/INF.33 “Wind propulsion technologies as a key enabler.”
This contribution influenced the recently ratified IMO’s MEPC 80 convention, representing a significant milestone in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the environmental impact of human activities at sea.
This initial success leads to a second phase for which XP Sea and its partners are seeking a sail-propelled merchant ship owner to apply the method to a large-scale project. Gavin Allright (IWSA) and Lise Detrimont (WSA) are supporting this new phase with great enthusiasm.
XP Sea is a member of Windcoop, a dynamic shipping company pushing maritime transport to an ecological level.
The 85 meters long Windcoop vessel has been optimized to achieve the best sailing performances.
It will be operational along the first line between France and Madagascar opening in 2025.
XP Sea is thus participating in the development of carbon-free transport.
Thanks to its network of partners, XP Sea provides you with a secure and simplified access to a range of trusted experts who can address the specific needs of your project.
In addition to its technical expertise, XP Sea brings a creative perspective to adapt the solution to your projects. Innovative, constructive and practical ideas that ultimately belong to you.
With its extensive experience, XP Sea is capable of supporting complex projects, providing a broad perspective, technical expertise and pragmatic solutions.
XP Sea adjusts to the context, environment and needs of your company to optimize the format of its support according to each phase of the project.
