The picturesque city of Bruges served as the perfect backdrop for the gathering, where each partner delivered updates on their respective work packages. A highlight of the event was a visit to the Orcelle Terminal, owned by project coordinator and partner Wallenius Wilhelmsen. Known for its green focus, the terminal stands as a testament to cutting-edge efforts in reducing emissions, aligning perfectly with the ambitions of the Orcelle Horizon project.
During the meetings, each partner offered insights into the project’s trajectory and the challenges encountered. The Work Package leaders all gave a status update on their efforts, and we discussed common challenges.
Key takeaways from the General Assembly include:
- The project has made significant strides in its first year, completing and submitting a total of six deliverables. All public deliverables can be found here.
- AlfaWall Oceanbird, our project partner, is currently establishing their land-based test site in Landskrona, Sweden.
- The arrival of the initial major components for the full-scale wing prototype in Landskrona marks a pivotal transition from design to realization during the assembly process.
- The anticipated operational date for the land-based wing is Q2 2024, though a slight delay in delivery may push this milestone beyond the initial schedule.
- The one-wing retrofit vessel Tirranna has been equipped with sensors, gathering data on wind and vessel performance.
- Post-installation of the wing, the consortium has agreed to extend Tirranna’s testing period to gather crucial performance data.
- Collaboration with Danish naval architect firm Knud E. Hansen has resulted in the completion of the initial multi-wing demonstrator vessel design for Orcelle Wind.
- We expect there to be made certain improvements to the Orcelle Wind design, based on the forthcoming test results from Tirranna.
- Due to lower-than-predicted yard capacity and an extended testing period for Tirranna, the timeline for the final delivery of Orcelle Wind may be impacted. Further updates will be provided as progress continues.
- Project partners at the research and development site have been highly active, with several papers on findings scheduled for presentation at various 2024 conferences. The papers will be published on our website soon.
- A joint workshop with the EU-funded Whisper project is scheduled during SMM 2024, offering a platform for key stakeholders and interested parties to engage in discussions on wind propulsion.
This General Assembly in Bruges has not only highlighted the solid progress of the Orcelle Horizon project but also reinforced our collaboration. With partners across Europe, the value of coming together to discuss and align has proven to be immense.
As the assembly concluded, our partners left inspired and ready to continue our path towards wind as main propulsion.
