Could giant kites be the next sustainability solution in the maritime industry? That is what a French start-up is trying to find. Airseas, an Airbus spin-off that develops renewable energy shipping propulsion systems, recently tested the use of a 250-square meters kite to pull a cargo ship, of about 21,000 tonnes, through the Atlantic ocean. This automated kite called Seawing consists of a parafoil wing, a flight control pod and an umbilical cable that connects the wing to the ship. It flies at an altitude of over 200m to harness steadier and stronger winds. In addition, the technology allows the ship to fully control the wing’s flight in a manner that ensures the optimal use of wind power. The company’s mission is to harness the power of wind by combining kite technology with an automated flight control system developed by the aerospace industry. According to Airseas, Seaswing “requires minimal deck space and is bolt-mounted, making it easy to retrofit during a short port stay.” “It does not interfere with cargo operations, is not limited by height restrictions, and can be installed on virtually all ship types.” This ambitious project claims that this technology could save over 20% fuel and GHG emissions. Earlier in January, the company announced its first installation of a Seawing system for Japanese transportation company K-Line. “The system was installed on a capesize bulk carrier in December. This is the first of five K Line vessels to feature a Seawing, with an option for up to 51 further vessels in total,” reveled Airseas in a LinkedIn post. Five years ago, the company announced that Airbus ordered the first-ever Seawing for a cargo ship. Vincent Bernatets, CEO of AirSeas, said in a 2018 press release: “We are very proud that Airbus has confirmed its confidence in the SeaWing system after seeing our test results first-hand on their own ship.”