In the modern era of global commerce, where massive steel vessels the size of skyscrapers traverse the oceans powered by gargantuan diesel engines, the suggestion that sails could be the key to decarbonization often meets with a degree of skepticism. To the uninitiated, it sounds like a regression—a step back into the 19th century that ignores the sheer scale and speed required by 21st-century supply chains. We have spent the better part of the last hundred years systematically removing wind from the equation, replacing it with the reliability of internal combustion and building ever-larger ships to move the vast majority of the world’s goods. Yet, as the maritime industry faces an existential pressure to reduce its massive carbon footprint, the future is beginning to look remarkably like a high-tech reimagining of its past.
This perspective is at the heart of the mission led by Emmanuel Schalit, the CEO of OceanWings. In a recent discussion regarding the future of the industry, Schalit presented a compelling case that the wind is not an antiquated relic of the past, but rather an untapped, free, and inexhaustible source of energy that modern technology is finally ready to harness at scale. For Schalit, the connection to the sea is deeply personal, rooted in a lifetime spent navigating the waves. He began sailing at the age of five in Brittany, France, and has since traversed waters ranging from the northern tip of Scotland to the sun-drenched Greek islands. This lifelong intimacy with the ocean has provided him with a visceral understanding of the immense power available to those who know how to capture it.
However, Schalit is quick to clarify that the vision OceanWings is pursuing does not involve a return to wooden hulls and canvas sheets managed by sailors climbing rigging in a gale. Modern wind propulsion is a fundamentally different discipline. It utilizes massive, automated rigid wings that function more like the wings of an aircraft stood on end than traditional sails. These structures are controlled by sophisticated sensors and software that adjust their position in real-time to optimize thrust based on wind speed and direction. Crucially, these systems are designed to work in tandem with a ship’s existing propulsion, creating a sophisticated hybrid model that bridges the gap between traditional fossil fuels and the green fuels of the future.
The concept of the hybrid vessel is central to Schalit’s strategy. He draws a historical parallel to the transitional era of the late 19th century, when steamships were frequently equipped with masts and sails as a backup and a supplement to their early engines. In the current global economy, where speed and schedule reliability are non-negotiable, wind cannot yet replace engines entirely. Instead, OceanWings provides a significant portion of the required propulsion through wind, while the remainder is supplied by an engine. Today, that engine likely runs on diesel, but in the coming years, it could be powered by green hydrogen, methanol, ammonia, or even batteries.
The beauty of this approach lies in its mathematical simplicity: regardless of the fuel being used, the goal is to use less of it. While the shipping industry remains locked in a complex debate over which "fuel of the future" will ultimately win out—hydrogen, ammonia, and LNG all have their proponents and infrastructure challenges—wind propulsion offers an immediate, "fuel-agnostic" advantage. By reducing the total energy demand of the vessel, wind technology makes the transition to more expensive, less energy-dense alternative fuels more economically viable.
One of the most pressing challenges in maritime decarbonization is the sheer longevity of the global fleet. There are approximately 100,000 commercial ships currently in operation, and these vessels typically remain in service for 25 to 30 years. Schalit points out that if the industry were to rely solely on new builds to introduce green technology, the pace of change would be far too slow to meet international climate targets. He noted that waiting for the entire fleet to be rebuilt would likely take longer than the remaining careers of most current industry leaders.
