AWESOME

The AWESOME project, merges the efforts of 15 highly reputed institutions in the maritime field from 6 different European countries (Norway, France, Netherlands, Greece, Spain and Germany) to develop a set of innovative solutions fully aligned with EU and IMO regulations to accelerate the uptake of Wind-Assisted Propulsion Systems (WAPS) in commercial shipping. By delivering validated, standardised tools and methodologies to reduce fuel consumption, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and investment uncertainty, the AWESOME project intends to address the main barriers currently identified and hindering WAPS full potential (performance uncertainty, lack of harmonised design and verification methods, and operational challenges). The project will validate WAPS performance on two full-scale demonstrators—a retrofitted chemical tanker and a newly built wind-powered cargo vessel—supporting the development of standardised verification protocols, advanced route simulation models, and techno-economic and environmental assessment frameworks. A new Holistic Control and Management System (HCMS) will be demonstrated to coordinate WAPS operation with ship systems in real-time, complemented by a high-fidelity crew training simulator to ensure safe and efficient use. AWESOME also delivers a web-based design tool featuring standardised retrofit and newbuild templates, supporting early-stage design decisions. The project’s outputs will feed into EU and IMO regulatory frameworks (e.g. FuelEU Maritime, IMO GFS), facilitate market recognition of WAPS, and strengthen the competitiveness and strategic autonomy of the European maritime sector. By enabling fuel savings and accelerating the path to standardisation, AWESOME positions Europe as a global frontrunner in wind propulsion vessels market.