THE CRITICAL ROLE OF ACCURATE WIND MEASUREMENT FOR WIND ASSISTED SHIP PROPULSION The Insensys 昀椀bre-optic load monitoring system constantly provides real time thrust measurements for the WASP application. This data can be used locally for performance alerts, and logged for longer term analysis. THE POWER OF FIBRE-OPTICS OPTIMISE PERFORMANCE ENHANCE SAFETY REDUCE COSTS The analysis of alternative technologies show that there are clear advantages from installing 昀椀bre-optic sensors in WASP structures. Insensys are market leaders in this area with a 20-year proven track record in both the marine and wind energy industries of enabling wind capture optimisation. To illustrate the impact of adoption of accurate 昀椀bre-optic sensing for WASP, the estimated CO2 and fuel cost savings has been calculated for propulsion power without WASP, with WASP and with WASP 昀椀tted with Insensys 昀椀bre-optic load sensors. Propulsion M/E power (%) Fuel savings CO2 savings Total Voyage cost power (ton/hr) (tonCO2/hr) savings (USD/hr) Without WASP 100 - - - With WASP 49.12 0.605 1.936 617.1 With Insensys 642.6 昀椀tted WASP 47.1 0.630 2.016 (+4.13%) This 4.13% improvement in fuel performance could represent savings in excess of $100,000 per vessel per annum, making the payback period for installation of such a sensing system well within a year. Insensys systems are designed to operate in harsh marine conditions with little or no maintenance for 25 years, with a proven track record from installed systems dating back to 2006. Therefore, the fuel savings over the life-time of a vessel at current fuel prices are expected to be in the millions rather than thousands of US dollars. In addition, Insensys sensors can become a bene昀椀cial source of data for load and stress monitoring further optimising operability and prolonging the WASP system lifetime. On the basis of the above 昀椀ndings, Insensys 昀椀bre-optic load sensing systems are seen as an essential feature on all WASP applications. 5