£1m UK funding for next phase of GT Wings’ wind propulsion innovation
Credit: GT Wings
UK-based wind propulsion firm GT Wings has secured a further £1m funding through the sixth round of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC6) to accelerate the development of its AirWing system – billed as the world’s first commercially available “Jet Sail.”
This next batch of funding – bringing Gt Wings’ total UK Government support to over £5m – will be used to advance AirWing’s adaptive control system, focusing on reinforcement learning for trim automation, integrating weather routing, and implementing automated propeller pitch control. The aim is to enhance efficiency and prepare the technology for wider commercial deployment.
The project is a collaboration between GT Wings and partners, including Carisbrooke Shipping, the University of Bath, Datum Electronics, and Oceata. Together, the group will combine operational insights with academic research to further develop intelligent wind propulsion solutions.
Unlike conventional sail technologies, AirWing utilises a patented boundary layer control system to actively shape the airflow around its surface, delivering high lift from a compact form factor. The company states that this allows for greater thrust generation from a smaller device, opening wind propulsion to vessel types that were previously unable to adopt it.
GT Wings CEO George Thompson says: “The project will accelerate AirWing’s adaptive control system, integrating self-learning trim automation, weather routing, and propeller pitch control, setting the stage for widespread commercial rollout.”
AirWing is designed to help shipowners meet new regulatory targets under FuelEU Maritime, the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), and upcoming IMO measures, while maintaining operational flexibility. Its modular format supports both retrofit and new build installations.
“This latest award builds on the momentum we’ve been building through earlier CMDC and Smart Shipping projects. We’ve now had the opportunity to lead multiple successful projects and secure over £5m in UK Government support, which has been crucial in turning AirWing from concept to reality,” says Jonny Gambell, technical sales director, GT Wings.
The UK Government funds the CMDC6 project through the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) under the Department for Transport. Delivered by Innovate UK, CMDC6 is part of a broader initiative that has awarded over £230m to low-emission maritime projects since 2022.
The GT Wings project will be among the technologies showcased around the UK in 2025, as part of a wider demonstration of decarbonisation efforts across various vessel types and port infrastructures.
