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Sail power hasn’t been used on the high seas as a primary source of shipping for 100 years. But that could change. Australia’s The Age reports on the latest development in the effort to make green ocean shipping viable.

Image credit: Guardian/The Age (Australia).

When the 10,000-tonne Beluga SkySail is well clear of land, it will launch a giant kite, which wind tunnel tests and sea trials suggest will tug it along and save 10-15% of the heavy fuel oil it would normally burn. If the journey from Bremen in Germany to Venezuela and back is successful, it could become common to see some of the largest ships in the world towed by kites the size of soccer fields.

This is a great example of reinventing the way we look at things, using modern technology to reconsider old ideas. By bringing sailing up-to-date, it is possible that the world of ocean shipping will be a greener place — and the ocean a cleaner place.

Miranda Marquit is a freelance writer. She contributes to The Panelist, an ethical investing website.