BAR Technologies is making waves in the maritime industry, and not just because of its wind-powered solutions. The company’s WindWings system has just been crowned the GREEN4SEA Technology Award winner at Europort 2025, beating out stiff competition from Accelleron, bound4blue, Brunvoll, NatPower Marine, and Oceanly Performance. This isn’t just another accolade—it’s a stamp of approval for wind-assisted propulsion as a commercially ready, emissions-cutting powerhouse.
WindWings isn’t your grandfather’s sail. This wind-assisted propulsion system (WAPS) uses advanced aero-design to slash fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Each wing features BAR Tech’s patented three-element configuration, delivering 2.5 times the lift of a traditional single-element wing—without the need for constant power like flettner rotors or suction fans. The numbers speak for themselves: an average of 1.5 tonnes of fuel saved per wing per day. That’s not just a drop in the ocean; it’s a tidal shift in how we think about decarbonizing ocean-going vessels.
Tom James, BAR Technologies’ Sales Director, accepted the award with a clear message: “This award validates WindWings as a practical and impactful technology. It’s not just an innovation, it’s operational. We’ve shown that wind propulsion can deliver measurable decarbonization today, not just in future projections.” That’s the kind of talk that gets the industry’s attention. James didn’t stop there. He joined a panel discussion where he emphasized the need for regulation, collaboration, and data transparency to drive real environmental progress.
John Cooper, CEO of BAR Technologies, echoed that sentiment, adding: “We are honored to receive this recognition from GREEN4SEA and Europort. WindWings reflects our core mission: to apply world-class engineering to solve real-world problems. This award is a tribute to the relentless work of our team and partners who believe, as we do, that sustainable shipping starts with solutions that perform, scale, and deliver significant reductions in global emissions.”
What’s really exciting here is the momentum. WindWings isn’t just a prototype or a lab experiment—it’s a commercially ready solution already making waves (pun intended) across global fleets. This award reinforces BAR Technologies’ position as a leader in sustainable maritime innovation, but it also sends a broader signal: the transition to greener shipping isn’t a distant dream. It’s happening now, and wind propulsion is leading the charge.
The maritime industry has long been a laggard in decarbonization, but projects like WindWings prove that change is possible—and profitable. By leveraging wind power, ship operators can cut fuel costs while slashing emissions, a win-win in an era of tightening regulations and climate commitments. The question now isn’t whether wind propulsion works, but how quickly the rest of the industry can catch up. With BAR Technologies setting the pace, the race to decarbonize shipping just got a lot more interesting.