Ingenious modern-day ship sails are again making headlines. 

This time, London's Union Maritime is outfitting its Brands Hatch tanker with 123-foot-tall windcatchers that are projected to cut dirty fuel consumption by more than 1,320 tons each year, according to Renewable Energy Magazine and a news release from Lloyd's Register. 

The London firm specializes in maritime classification and compliance services and was involved with this project from "design to delivery." 

The massive 114,000 deadweight-ton tanker is now the most powerful wind-assisted ship on the seas. Union's plan is for 34 ships to eventually be aided by the wind, with 14 featuring WindWings designed by the United Kingdom's BAR Technologies. Brands Hatch's sails were manufactured by CMET, according to Renewable Energy Magazine. 

The sails aren't something Blackbeard would find familiar. They are tall, rigid rectangles made from "robust marine steel and advanced industrial composite construction materials," per BAR's website. 

Cargill's Pyxis Ocean, which set sail in 2023, is outfitted with two of the giant BAR-made structures. The tech is part of innovations aimed at cleaning up sea travel, which also includes fascinating kites.

Shipping produces about 3% of global planet-warming pollution, according to the European Federation for Transport and Environment. 

Concerningly, NASA reported that our vast oceans have absorbed 90% of the Earth's warming that has happened in recent decades. The experts noted that coral bleaching, accelerated ice sheet melting, and intensified hurricanes are some of the repercussions. The severe weather is also impacting home insurance coverage and costs. 

As a result, shippers are working to limit non-renewable fuel use with sails, as well as hydrogen and ammonia fuels. The latter two can have health risks as well, depending on how they are used, per the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Sierra Club. 

For WindWings' part, the contraptions can make intelligent aerodynamic adjustments in angle and camber for improved efficiency and thrust. But the cargo is apparently going to be counter to the cleaner travel. Lloyd's suggested the tanker will be carrying oil. 

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Exploring environmental concerns in our oceans can help you make informed decisions about what companies are working toward a cleaner future. You can invest in the ones that are making legitimate progress, which can be profitable, too. 

Choosing planet-friendlier transportation, even riding the bus a little more instead of driving, can also cut pollution and save you cash. 

"The upcoming delivery of Brands Hatch is a powerful example of how Union Maritime is responding to the evolving regulatory landscape by putting smart and sustainable technologies into action," Laurent Cadji, managing director at Union Maritime, told Renewable Energy Magazine. "It marks the beginning of a new era for Union Maritime and the global shipping industry."

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