Norsepower, the global leader in wind-assisted propulsion for commercial shipping, today announced that its proprietary force measurement technology for wind-assisted ship propulsion (WASP) has been independently validated by RISE technology infrastructure SSPA Maritime Centre. The evaluation was carried out onboard MV Chinook Oldendorff ,equipped with three Norsepower Rotor SailsÔ, and it is among the first third-party validations of a continuous performance monitoring system for wind propulsion.
July 22, 2026, Helsinki, Finland– Measuring the thrust generated by a WASP device is the most direct way to quantify its performance — but doing so reliably, over long periods of operation, and translating the result into real vessel power savings, has remained a persistent challenge for the industry.
Norsepower addressed this with a proprietary measurement technique based on pressure sensors integrated directly into the rotor system. To verify its accuracy, Norsepower worked with RISE, which applied its own performance assessment methodology to convert the measured thrust forces into estimated power savings. RISE then compared these estimates against a large number of on/off tests carried out over six months of normal vessel operation.
The results showed that the force measurements remained stable over time and correlated well with the savings identified through the operational on/off testing — a joint effort building on Norsepower’s core measurement technology together with RISE’s independent conversion and assessment methodology.
“The measurements demonstrated good stability throughout the test period. Combined with initial calibration using on/off testing, this provides a promising solution for quantifying WASP energy savings over time,” said Sofia Werner, Head of Strategic Development at RISE SSPA Maritime Centre.
This validation marks a meaningful step toward continuous, transparent monitoring of wind propulsion performance in commercial shipping — and it points directly to where international discussions are heading. As the IMO advances its GHG Fuel Intensity (GFI) framework, the maritime industry needs a credible way to measure and verify the real-world contribution of wind-assisted propulsion. This work shows that continuous, direct thrust measurement — the top tier (Tier IV) of the methodology proposed to the IMO for assessing wind propulsion under GFI — is not just theoretically sound, but a proven, operational solution. It gives the industry a viable path to the kind of rigorous, auditable performance data that GFI compliance will demand.
By enabling reliable, real-time visibility into actual fuel and emissions savings, the technology also opens the door to new commercial models: shipowners and charterers can share transparent, verified performance data as a basis for splitting the costs and benefits of wind propulsion — supporting wider adoption across the industry.
“Our force measurement third-party validation demonstrates how the whole industry benefits when we can independently prove that wind propulsion performance can be measured accurately and consistently. That’s what will build the trust needed for wind propulsion to scale,” said Heikki Pöntynen, CEO of Norsepower
