First-ever global study reveals wind propulsion can cut fleet-wide emissions today but only with stronger policy action in International Shipping News,Shipping: Emission Possible 16/04/2026 A landmark study commissioned by Seas At Risk, drawing on 1.74 billion kilometres of real voyage data, the equivalent distance from the Earth to Saturn, finds that wind propulsion could reduce fleet-wide fuel use by 6.3–9.4% with even greater potential when combined with other measures. By 2050, it could deliver up to 762 million tonnes of cumulative CO₂ savings. The technology is ready. The gap is policy. Until now, no study has assessed the decarbonisation potential of wind propulsion across the entire maritime fleet. This study addresses that gap and the findings are clear: wind propulsion is a commercially available, proven technology capable of delivering real emissions reductions today, before next-generation fuels become widely available or affordable. Based on modelling of main engine emissions across the global fleet by the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research in Manchester, UK, wind propulsion could reduce annual CO₂ by 7.8% by 2050. That is the equivalent to removing up to 170 million cars from the road every year. But the speed of policy ambition will reflect the scale of impact, with potential CO₂ savings of up to 762 million tonnes by 2050. Key findings Significant, well-evidenced savings: Drawing on 1.74 billion km of real voyage data, wind propulsion can cut fleet-wide fuel use by 6.3–9.4%. These are conservative estimates; the true potential is greater when operational optimisation is applied, such as weather routing, slow steaming, hull optimisation for newbuild vessels and primary wind designs. Bulk carriers and tankers first: The top 17% of vessels, predominantly bulk carriers and tankers, deliver 50% of total emissions savings. Targeted policy support for these ship types can unlock disproportionate near-term gains. Reducing pressure on future fuel supply chains: Every tonne of fuel avoided through wind propulsion eases constraints on scarce e-fuel production, supports a more equitable transition, and allows renewable electricity to serve priority uses first. Policy is the bottleneck, not technology: Without stronger incentives, wind propulsion delivers only 0.2% emissions reduction by 2050. The IMO’s Net-Zero Framework must reward real, early reductions and limit the use of trading mechanisms as a substitute for genuine progress. At the same time, strengthening/tightening the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) is critical to encourage the installation of wind assisted propulsion systems. Waiting is not a strategy: Decarbonisation goals set out in the International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s greenhouse gas strategy are coming up fast: 30% emission reduction by 2030, 80% by 2040 and fully decarbonised by 2050. Most ships operating in the 2030s are already in service. Retrofitting them now builds skills, supply chains, and momentum while locking in real cumulative reductions during the critical decade ahead. It also directly supports the IMO’s commitment of at least 5% – striving for 10% – uptake of zero or near zero emission technologies, fuels and energy sources by 2030. Anaïs Rios, Senior Shipping Policy Officer, Seas At Risk says “The ships needed to reach 2030 climate targets are already at sea and they can be powered by wind. Retrofitting sails cuts fuel use and emissions now, while alternative fuels remain decades awa