Liverpool city region venture GT Wings – which utilises the principle of aircraft wings to power commercial shipping with wind – wins seal of approval from one of the most respected bodies in global maritime. Tony McDonough reports
Maritime venture GT Wings – which is developing a modern method of wind propulsion for shipping – has secured the approval of the globally influential Lloyds Register.
Based in Liverpool city region, GT Wings is behind the maritime wind propulsion system called ‘AirWing’, which it claims can cut fuel use and emissions from cargo vessels by up to 30%.
Aircraft wings use air flow to generate lift. GT Wings ‘wings’, once fitted upright to a ship and rising to 20 metres, operate on the same principle but instead use the wind to generate thrust. This allows vessels to reduce power, saving fuel and cutting emissions.
A 20-metre ‘Jet Sail’ prototype has been fitted to Vectis Progress, a cargo vessel owned by Carisbrooke Shipping and chartered by Fednav on the vessel’s forecastle deck (at the front).
GT Wings claimed this retrofit has delivered reductions in fuel consumption and emissions over a nine-month period and now, in a significant milestone for the company, Lloyds Register has verified the sea trials performance assessment methodology.
Lloyd’s Register is one of the world’s oldest and most respected maritime classification societies. Founded in 1760 in London, it has evolved into a global technical and professional services organisation.
It offers classification of ships and offshore structures and is trusted to provide reliable information for insurers and maritime merchants. So the seal of approval for GT Wings’ initial sea trials is significant.
Andrew Hurford, senior specialist marine – maritime asset and operational performance at Lloyd’s Register, said: “Independent verification of performance assessment methodologies is essential to building confidence in emerging maritime technologies.
“We are pleased to have reviewed GT Wings’ approach and confirm its alignment with recognised in-service performance standards.”
Installed in March 2025, the AirWing has been operating on live commercial routes across the Atlantic, navigating North Atlantic winter conditions, as well as on voyages through the Great Lakes and additional Caribbean sailings.
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Liam Campbell, chief commercial officer at GT Wings, added: “From the start, our vision has been to drive the transition through measurable, data‑driven performance.
“Lloyd’s Register’s verification confirms our alignment with international standards and validates that our performance predictions are grounded in real‑world evidence.
“It is an important step toward scaling wind‑assisted propulsion across global shipping and strengthening confidence in this technology as a viable pathway to reducing carbon emissions.”