What Smart Green Shipping does

Smart Green Shipping Alliance Ltd. (SGS) is a Glasgow-headquartered, privately held systems-design house founded in 2014 by Diane Gilpin. The company develops wind-assisted propulsion solutions for the global commercial shipping industry, targeting the gap between the limited near-term availability of alternative marine fuels and tightening decarbonization regulations (IMO Net Zero Framework, EU ETS). Its core technology combines physical hardware (FastRig, a 20-metre automated retractable rigid aluminum wingsail compatible with an estimated 40,000 bulkers and tankers in the global merchant fleet) with digital optimization software (FastRoute, an evolutionary-algorithm-based weather routing tool trained on three decades of NOAA meteorological data) and supporting consultancy and service modules (FastReport pre-investment analysis; FastReach Wind-as-a-Service leasing). In March 2026, SGS became the first company in modern commercial shipping to achieve finance-grade, ITTC-protocol-validated performance guarantees for wind-assist fuel savings, with up to 40% fuel and emissions reduction independently verified by the University of Southampton Wolfson Unit.

SGS operates a B2B enterprise sales motion targeting ship owners, operators, and charterers, with named commercial partners including Drax Group, Swire Bulk, Nuclear Transport Solutions, MOL Drybulk, and Ultrabulk A/S. The revenue model is shifting from one-off hardware sales and government grant-funded development toward a recurring Wind-as-a-Service (FastReach) model that bundles installation, operation, maintenance, regulatory compliance, and performance guarantees. Supporting revenue streams include FastReport consultancy fees and outcome-based performance contracts where fuel savings are shared between shipowners and charterers. The company has raised approximately £6.35m in disclosed equity and grant funding across 2019-2024 rounds (including a £5m R&D project with Scottish Enterprise, a £1.35m round with MOL Drybulk and Scottish Enterprise, a £1m Drax investment, and a $1.3m October 2024 funding injection), with an additional growth funding round managed by Piper Sandler closing in early 2026.

SGS is supported by an ecosystem of partners spanning naval architecture (Humphreys Yacht Design, with Americas Cup expertise), independent technical validation (University of Southampton, Lloyd's Register Approval in Principle), manufacturing (Malin Group, Caley Ocean Systems at Renfrew), and port infrastructure (Peel Ports at Hunterston). The company holds 1-10 employees, is headquartered in Glasgow with engineering, manufacturing, and test facilities in Dumfries, Renfrew, and Hunterston (all Scotland, UK), and has received industry recognition including Maritime UK Awards 2025 (Clean Maritime Operator of the Year), GREEN4SEA 2025 Personality Award, Solar Impulse Foundation label (2021), and BBC Woman's Hour Power List (2020).

Name

Smart Green Shipping

Legal name

Smart Green Shipping Alliance Ltd.

Website

https://smartgreenshipping.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Smart Green Shipping develops FastRig rigid wingsail hardware and FastRoute AI-powered route optimization software for commercial shipping decarbonization. The UK company sells hardware, software, and Wind-as-a-Service offerings to ship owners, operators, and charterers to reduce fuel costs and emissions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wind-Assisted Marine Propulsion

NAICS

Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883), Ship and Boat Building (33661)

SIC

Engines & Turbines (3510), Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Propulsion Drives, Gearboxes & Shaftlines (IMAJAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Advanced Wind Technology R&D (Floating Offshore, Airborne Wind, New Rotor/Blade Concepts) (EUAMAOAB), Propulsion Control, Monitoring & Automation (ECS, PMS interface) (IMAJAHAH), Wind Turbine Installation & Commissioning (Cranes, Vessels, Jack-ups) (EUAMACAG)

Keywords

• Wind-assisted propulsion
• Rigid wingsail systems
• Maritime decarbonization
• Weather routing software
• Wind-as-a-service

Headquarters

HQ city

Devizes

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Wind-as-a-Service (Leasing): The company offers FastRig technology through leasing arrangements to ship owners and charterers, providing frictionless access without large upfront capital expenditure. Includes operation, maintenance, and performance guarantees.
2. Outcome-Based Performance Contracts: Performance-linked agreements where fuel efficiency savings are shared between shipowners and charterers. The company can guarantee cost savings predicted by FastRoute software, enabling risk-managed 'wind-as-a-service' business models.
3. Technology Licensing and Consulting: FastReport consultancy services provide pre-investment technical analysis and implementation roadmaps. The company also collaborates with industry partners for technology deployment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Smart Green Shipping designs, manufactures, and commercialises wind-assisted propulsion systems for commercial shipping, anchored by the FastRig rigid wingsail hardware and complemented by the FastRoute AI-based weather routing software. Customers also access the FastReport pre-investment consultancy and the FastReach Wind-as-a-Service leasing/managed-service offering with performance guarantees. The portfolio is targeted at ship owners, operators, and charterers seeking to reduce fuel consumption and emissions on bulk carriers and tankers.

Product overview

Smart Green Shipping offers a modular wind-assist propulsion portfolio for commercial shipping. The core product is FastRig, a rigid wingsail system that generates thrust from wind to reduce fuel consumption. This is complemented by three software and service modules: FastReport (pre-investment consultancy), FastRoute (AI-powered weather routing optimisation), and FastReach (wind-as-a-service leasing model with performance guarantees). Together these products provide an end-to-end solution from technical assessment through operational deployment with guaranteed fuel savings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FastRig: Rigid wingsail system delivering up to 40% fuel and emissions savings validated through ITTC protocol sea trials.
• FastReport
• FastRoute
• FastReach

Products and services

• FastRig 20-metre automated, retractable, lightweight aluminium rigid wingsail system retrofitted to commercial vessels to harness wind propulsion; delivers up to 40% validated fuel and emissions savings with minimal deck footprint, rapid install/deinstall within planned drydock schedules, and fully automated sensor-controlled operation requiring no additional crew. Sold to commercial ship owners, operators, and charterers.
• FastRoute Weather-based route optimisation software that measures and maximises fuel savings from FastRig while meeting arrival times. Uses a Darwin-inspired evolutionary algorithm (selection, crossover, mutation) over three decades of NOAA meteorological data and real-time weather forecasting to predict the most fuel-efficient route that maximises wind assistance for a given vessel. Sold to commercial ship owners, operators, and charterers.
• FastReport Pre-investment consultancy that combines industry expertise and data-driven analysis to de-risk FastRig adoption. Delivers cost-benefit analysis, expert technical guidance, and implementation roadmaps to ship owners, operators, and charterers before capital commitment.
• FastReach (Wind-as-a-Service) Wind-as-a-Service managed offering that removes the upfront capital barrier to FastRig adoption by leasing the system to ship owners and charterers. Bundles operation and maintenance, regulatory compliance support, and outcome-based performance guarantees into a multi-year service contract.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 40% fuel and emissions savings validated through ITTC protocol sea trials
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• Nuclear Transport Solutions (NTS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2023Leading global nuclear transport operator became first to install FastRig technology on Pacific Grebe vessel for sea trials as part of 'Winds of Change' project, demonstrating feasibility on high-safety-standard vessels.
• Swire BulkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSingapore-based shipowner in discussions with SGS to install FastRig wingsails on vessels, providing historical performance data from the Kaying bulk carrier for technical feasibility studies.
• University of Southampton (Wolfson Unit)coreTechnology or IntegrationIndependently verified sea trial results confirming accuracy of FastRoute performance predictions. Conducted CFD analysis and VPP performance modeling for FastRig technology validation.
• Humphreys Yacht DesigncoreTechnology or IntegrationNaval architects of Dame Ellen McArthur's yachts brought Americas Cup-level expertise in aero-dynamics and hull optimization to FastRig design development.
• Malin Group / Malin EquipmentcoreTechnology or IntegrationGlasgow-based specialist engineering company manufactured the 20-metre FastRig wingsail structure using aluminum fabrication expertise.
• Caley Ocean SystemscoreTechnology or IntegrationPartner in FastRig assembly and testing at Hunterston Parc facility, providing manufacturing capability and specialist engineering input.
• Lloyd's RegistersupportingTechnology or IntegrationGranted Stage 1 Approval in Principle for FastRig technology, providing industry assurance that wind-assist propulsion meets safety and viability standards.
• Peel PortssupportingTechnology or IntegrationProvided Hunterston Port and Resource Centre as land-based test site for FastRig demonstration before ship installation.
• HouldersupportingTechnology or IntegrationUK-based clean technology consultancy took responsibility for ship-to-wing interface in the Winds of Change project, enhancing industry confidence in commercial agreements.
• Ultrabulk A/SsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDanish dry bulk cargo transporter participated in feasibility study examining FastRig retrofitting onto ships in their fleet carrying biomass for Drax.
• GT WingsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFellow recipient of £1m CMDC6 funding for AirWing wind propulsion technology, part of the broader UK clean maritime ecosystem.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ayro OceanWings: French developer of OceanWings rigid wing sails for commercial vessels. Direct wind-assist propulsion competitor with similar hardware-plus-software integration model targeting bulkers and tankers.
• Econowind: Dutch supplier of containerised VentoFoil wind-assist units for commercial ships. Directly competes with FastRig in wind-assisted propulsion, focused on simpler container-deployed solutions versus FastRig's rigid wingsail approach.
• bound4blue: Spanish developer of suction sail technology for commercial vessels. Directly competes in wind-assist propulsion with multiple installed references and a broader vessel-class coverage than SGS.
• BAR Technologies: UK-based developer of WindWings rigid sails, backed by Cargill. Directly competes with SGS in wind-assisted propulsion for bulk carriers, targeting the same customer base with a similar hardware-plus-services model.
• Norsepower: Finnish provider of rotor sails (Flettner rotors) for commercial shipping. Directly competes with FastRig in the wind-assisted propulsion retrofit market, with established references on several vessel classes.
• GT Wings: UK-based developer of AirWing wind propulsion technology. Co-recipient of CMDC6 funding with SGS, competing in the same UK clean maritime ecosystem and customer pipeline.
• Michelin WISAMO: Michelin's inflatable wing-sail project for cargo ships. Direct competitor in wind-assisted propulsion, leveraging Michelin's industrial scale and materials expertise to bring a different sail concept to the same market.

Broad incumbents

• Wärtsilä: Global marine technology and propulsion systems incumbent. Broadly competes in marine efficiency and decarbonization, including alternative fuels and hybrid propulsion, providing both competition and potential partnership pathways for SGS.
• ABB Marine & Ports: Global supplier of marine propulsion, automation, and digital solutions. Operates broadly across ship efficiency and emissions reduction, including electric and hybrid propulsion systems that compete indirectly with wind-assist for shipowner capex.
• Cargill Ocean Transportation: Global commodities trader and major charterer that has invested in WindWings through BAR Technologies. Both a potential competitor (via WindWings) and a possible customer/charterer partner for SGS in the dry bulk segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/smartgreenship
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smart-green-shipping-alliance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors6 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Smart Green Shipping