Whisper

Project overview

Coordinated by Verkís, the four-year project brings together 14 partners from six European countries to develop and demonstrate innovative retrofit technologies capable of significantly reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from existing cargo vessels.

The project combines three complementary technologies into a fully modular retrofit solution: wind-assisted propulsion through tilting wing sails, renewable electricity generation from wind and solar systems, and onboard energy storage. Together, these technologies are designed to reduce fuel consumption by up to 30% on bulk carriers and more than 15% on container ships.

In addition to coordinating the project, Verkís is responsible for technical project management, system integration, life cycle assessment (LCA), ecosystem analysis, and aerodynamic simulations. The project builds on Verkís’ expertise in energy transition, sustainability, and multidisciplinary engineering.

A key component of WHISPER is full-scale testing under real operating conditions. Initial demonstrations will be carried out on Samskip’s container vessel Arnarfell, followed by large-scale validation on a commercial bulk carrier. The project aims to provide a practical pathway for decarbonising existing fleets and reducing emissions from one of the world’s most challenging sectors to electrify.

By combining renewable energy technologies with innovative ship retrofit solutions, WHISPER has the potential to make a substantial contribution to the decarbonisation of maritime transport and support the industry’s transition towards net-zero emissions.

The Result