Federally funded project presented to Federal Minister Robert Habeck
During this year’s National Maritime Conference, the “FlettnerFLEET” project was presented to over 800 participants and visited by Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Dr Robert Habeck. Using a model ship with Flettner rotors, representatives of the project explained the technology, its contribution to climate protection and the challenges that currently exist in bringing the technology into widespread use.
This year, the two-day National Maritime Conference will take place at the Bremen Congress Centre. After the official welcoming of the participants on the first day by Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck, the Parliamentary State Secretary at the BMDV, Daniela Kluckert, the Mayor of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, Andreas Bovenschulte, and other high-ranking political representatives, the project was presented to Minister Habeck in the foyer of the Congress Centre. The more than 800 participants at the event were able to follow the project presentation live via video.
Sören Berg, project coordinator of the FlettnerFLEET project and project manager at MARIKO GmbH in Leer, provided a general introduction to the project and the technology. Using an exhibit made for the project, Mr Berg explained to Robert Habeck and the participants how Flettner rotors work. As the technology itself is not new and the project consortium already has many years of experience, the focus is now on optimising the rotors. Another aim of the project is to prepare the production of Flettner rotors on an industrial scale “so that we can produce at competitive prices in Germany and Europe,” says Sören Berg.
Flettner rotors are already demonstrating that they can achieve fuel savings of 10 to 30% and, under favourable conditions, even more. The associated reductions in emissions are essential for climate protection. Ralf Oltmanns from EcoFlettner GmbH emphasised in his presentation how important it is not to lose any more time when it comes to climate protection. The Flettner rotors are already available and a “major funding initiative for all ship sizes” would be expedient, according to Ralf Oltmanns, in order to get the conversion of the fleet underway.
Robert Habeck was impressed by the project: “In Germany and Europe, we need to focus more on climate-friendly ship propulsion systems in future and thus increase the competitiveness of our shipyards and shipping companies on a global scale. The pioneering joint project to develop Flettner rotors is an innovative contribution to maritime climate protection made in Germany and shows how important our research funding is for technological progress in the maritime industry.”
Image rights: MARIKO GmbH, BMWK/bundesfoto/Christina Czybik
