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STORY: This cargo ship is getting a little help at sea, thanks to this: a high-tech, computer-controlled smart sail.

:: University of Southampton

The technology could help vessels like the 5,500-ton Pacific Grebe achieve fuel efficiency and reduce its emissions.

Joe Banks is an assistant professor of marine engineering and ship science at the University of Southampton.

“By 2050, shipping needs to be net zero so we need to find ways of reducing the fuel and the emissions from shipping. And wind is a brilliant way of starting that process.”

The aluminum FastRig test sail was developed by Smart Green Shipping.

DIANE GILPIN: “It's more like an America's Cup yacht wing but it's automated, it's intelligent.”

The company's CEO Diane Gilpin says sensors feed back information to the sail so it can move into the optimal position based on wind conditions.

:: Diane Gilpin, Smart Green Shipping CEO

“If the wind is too low and it creates resistance, it will lie down. If it needs to come into port, if it needs to come out of port. So it's retractable for those reasons. So it's designed to have the minimal amount of sailing knowledge from the crew.”

Banks and the University of Southampton are part of a team putting the technology to the test.

:: Joe Banks, University of Southampton

BANKS: "So, we're predicting the fuel savings. But the crucial thing about this project is we're then doing structured sea trials with the vessel."

He says verified performance predictions will help give the industry and investors confidence.

Banks says about 3% of global CO2 emissions come from shipping.

He says the technology shows the industry doesn't need an entire re-think.

"...we don't have to redesign ships from scratch. We can take existing ships, retrofit these technologies to them, and that will reduce their emissions quickly. So we can do this in a matter of years while we wait for what future fuels will come along, which allow us to reach net zero goals.”

The UK government estimates up to 40,000 ships could be suitable for wind power, mainly tankers and bulk carriers.

Smart Green Shipping's Gilpin says the industry is interested in wind as it looks to reduce emissions... but market players need details.

"Can you put it on my ship? Does it break my ship? How does the crew operate it? How much they're going to cost me? How much it's going to save me? And that's what this test is all about, proving those different pieces of quite legitimate anxieties that the ship owning community has.”