Here’s an alarming fact: 4% of the carbon dioxide that’s being dumped on the atmosphere comes from large maritime ships.

Surprised?

Most people think that airplanes produce more CO2 than ships, given the volume of air traffic during any given day. This is incorrect. Airplanes only produce 2.3% of the carbon dioxide pollution on earth.Ships are more disastrous to the ecosystem and are a bigger contributor to global warming.

Enter the MS Beluga Skysails, the first ever kite-powered cargo ship.

No, the MS Beluga isn’t entirely wind-powered.

Instead, a giant, computer-controlled kite assists the engine of the cargo ship. Wind power needs wind, after all, and most of the time, the wind in the open seas isn’t enough to move the MS Beluga. Hence, wind power provides a supplemental role to the conventional engine.

This doesn’t mean that the MS Beluga is just a mere novelty, however.

This “kite ship” – as it is fondly called – actually saves 20% from normal fuel consumption. That’s 20% less fuel expenses and 20% less carbon dioxide produced.

Imagine if all large ships use this computer-assisted kite technology then. That would mean a 0.8% reduction of the CO2 produced every single day, and such would be a huge relief for the environment!

Measuring 1,722 sq. ft., the MS Beluga isn’t the biggest cargo ship in the world. But the current kite technology can only support ships of this size. However, the people behind the MS Beluga Skysails are trying to find ways on how to improve the kite technology so that it can help power up the really large cargo ships measuring 50,000 sq. ft. and beyond.

Below is a chart provided by the ship’s developer, Beluga Shipping GmbH, detailing how the MS Beluga’s kite technology actually works

The MS Beluga Skysails had its maiden voyage in Jan. 22, 2008, traveling from Germany to Venezuela. It continues to sail the seas to this very day, led by a kite that can change the world very soon.

Hippy Green Hippy Fact Of The Day:

Not all ships can afford kite-assisted technology at this point in time. One alternative is to cut down ship speed by 10%. Yes, cargos will be delivered at a slower rate, but this will result in 25% fuel reduction, and consequently, 25% less carbon dioxide production. If all ships will reduce their speed by 10% during their voyages, global carbon dioxide pollution will be reduced by exactly 1%. This is truly worth the sacrifice of having to wait an extra 6 minutes for a cargo that’s supposed to be delivered within an hour, right?