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Sea trials are now underway for a combined wind-and-solar energy system aimed at cutting auxiliary engine emissions aboard a converted container vessel. The test setup features a novel horizontally oriented wind turbine, developed to overcome the difficulties of adding wind-assisted propulsion to ships where cargo takes priority for deck space.
The equipment was fitted in late August in Aarhus, Denmark, on the Samskip-operated containership Helgafell. Constructed in 2005, this vessel serves as a dependable asset for the company, running regular routes to Iceland regardless of weather. The ship has a deadweight tonnage of 11,143, measures 137.5 meters (451 feet) long, and can carry up to 909 TEU.
This retrofit unites two renewable power sources in a modular design intended for easy installation on existing vessels. SideWind’s horizontal turbines are placed inside converted freight containers, while Solbian‘s photovoltaic panels are mounted on the container tops. This configuration seeks to exploit open deck areas while keeping structural changes to a minimum. For SideWind, these sea trials signify a shift from land-based development and testing to real-world maritime validation.
SideWind CEO Oskar Svavarsson noted that the trials would yield crucial operational data on performance and control, supporting progress toward a commercially scalable retrofit solution. The Solbian solar modules were specially engineered to match the dimensions of the SideWind container roofs and withstand harsh ocean conditions. Throughout the testing period, the solar array will function in tandem with the turbines, forming a hybrid system that draws on both wind and sunlight.
Testing started right after installation, as the ship traversed the North Atlantic and reached Iceland on August 24. The evaluation will span four planned voyages over the coming three months. Guomundur Oskarsson, Samskip’s Director of Logistics, expressed expectations that the trials would offer insights into how modular renewable technologies can support greener daily shipping operations without compromising the safety, reliability, or service quality that customers and crews rely on.
This effort represents the second of two demonstrations under the WHISPER initiative, which stands for Wind Energy Harvesting for Ship Propulsion Assistance and Power. That project began in January 2023 and is scheduled to conclude on December 31, 2026. It involves 13 partners from six European nations and has secured backing from the European Union’s Horizon Europe program. The first demonstration applied the same hybrid wind-solar concept to the dry bulk carrier Maria Tipoc, where solar panels sit on hatch covers alongside OceanWings’ rigid, tilting sails.
WHISPER was conceived to examine the hurdles and prospects of equipping older ships with such hybrid systems. Its objectives include achieving roughly 30 percent fuel savings on a converted bulk carrier and up to 15 percent on a converted containership.
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