For hundreds of years before the dawn of steam power in the mid-1800s, ships moved across the world's oceans by wind power. Today, engineers in Germany are harnessing the wind again, combining age-old propulsion principles with 21st century technology.
The Beluga Group (Bremen, Germany) is in the process of equipping a new cargo ship with a large kite that will act as an environmentally friendly propulsion system. The SkySail consists of a large towing kite similar to a paraglider that is navigated by a fully automatic control pod and connected to the ship by a tow rope. It will be used offshore, when wind conditions allow, in addition to the ship's traditional engine.