Context and Objectives
The maritime sector is essential to France’s economy and sovereignty. It accounts for 80% of goods transportation flows and plays a strategic role both in maintaining cohesion across overseas territories and in strengthening France’s geopolitical influence. However, until now, the sector has struggled to provide easily deployable decarbonization alternatives.
AWAKE aims to develop an innovative and practical solution to transform maritime transport and accelerate its decarbonization by making wind-assisted propulsion more accessible, reliable, and operational. The project is structured around four key objectives:
- Technical: design a complete, automated, and modular kite propulsion system capable of 360° flight, integrated with the ship’s pilot and an optimized routing algorithm;
- Economic: deliver a cost-effective solution enabling up to 40% fuel savings, with rapid return on investment and large-scale industrialization potential;
- Environmental: significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a low-impact, durable technology adaptable to all types of vessels;
- Societal: facilitate adoption by crews through intuitive interfaces and advanced automation, ensuring simple and safe operation.
Consortium
Coordinator: Beyond The Sea
Partners: Madintec, Zelin, IMS Laboratory
Funding
State-funded project within the France 2030 framework, operated by ADEME.
©️ Illustration by Thomas Maillard / ArpentageS
