10 May 2022

Sarens Install Seawing on RoRo vessel, Ville de Bordeaux

Topics: Airseas, France, La Rochelle, RoRo vessel, Sarens, Seawing, Ville de Bordeaux

Contributing to a greener environment, Sarens installed the first ever prototype of the fully automated kite – Seawing on the RoRo vessel, Ville de Bordeaux in La Rochelle, France.

Seawing, developed by Airseas, is a 500m² parafoil which flies at an altitude of 200m and harnesses wind power to provide traction and is estimated to reduce fuel consumption and emissions from cargo ships by up to 40 percent.

The first prototype of the Seawing was installed in December 2021 on the Ro-Ro shipping commercial vessel, Ville de Bordeaux, which transports major aircraft components between France and the US. The Seawing will be tested on this vessel for six months starting January 2022.

Sarens SL3800 successfully completed the single-object lift and installation of the Seawing weighing 120T on the vessel in open water. The team had to address the following challenges before lifting:

Due to heavy wind on-site, the crew got only a four hour window to perform the lift.
The tides (± 6m) and waves affected the stability of the vessel.
Since it is the first prototype of the Seawing being installed, the exact centre of gravity and symmetry was unclear.
Limited ground bearing pressure of 7.5T/m2
The SL3800 and two layers of wooden mats were deployed to manage the ground bearing pressure. By providing extra rigging equipment and performing a test lift, Sarens was able to level the Seawing within a tolerance of 10cm. During a perfect wind-window, the crawler crane smoothly and precisely lifted and positioned the load.

According to the Project Manager, Koen Rooms, “Sarens is glad to perform this unique lift as part of the innovative technology developed to harness green energy.”