A cargo ship fitted with a massive wing sail has sailed into Southampton, where scientists from the University of Southampton will coordinate tests for the vessel.

The Pacific Grebe has been fitted with a new 20-metre retractable wing-sail, the first of its kind that could cut the boat's carbon emissions by up to a third.

The container ship, which can carry up to 5,000 tonnes, contributes to the millions of tons of carbon dioxide that the shipping industry emits.

Dr Joseph Banks from the University of Southampton’s Marine and Maritime Institute believes that the trials conducted by his department could lead the way in reducing those emissions.

“This technology might be the key component of the challenging transition to zero-carbon shipping,” Dr Banks said.

“By validating our performance prediction tools against real-world sea trial data, we can accurately predict how much fuel this technology could save on bigger vessels and across longer journeys.”

The Department for Transport predicts that up to 40,000 ships could be suitable to use wind power.

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Pacific Grebe left Glasgow to head to Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria earlier on in the week, and has now arrived at Empress Dock’s Berth 27 in Southampton.

A clear view of the cargo ship can be seen from the National Oceanography Centre on European Way.

The University of Southampton is also home to the largest university towing tank in the UK, which sits at a massive 138 metres long.

The Pacific Grebe in Southampton docks.The Pacific Grebe in Southampton docks. (Image: University of Southampton) The institute’s Wolfson Unit conduct testing on innovative parts through computer simulations at the towing tank, and the wing-sail was one that the University tested on.

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Dr Martyn Prince of the university's Wolfson Unit said: “There are wind-assist technologies in development but few have had their predicted fuel savings independently verified at sea.

“Wind power harnessed using well-engineered equipment and backed by data provided by these predictive tools offers one of the most effective ways for the sector to reduce emissions.”

Sea trials on the Solent will now be conducted by the University of Southampton, and the wing sail will be raised and lowered today as part of inaugural tests.