Wind, not oil, focus of new transport ship

HAMBURG, Germany, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- A German company will soon launch an ocean-going vessel that will rely primarily on huge wind sails rather than increasingly expensive oil.

Germany's SkySails has outfitted a 460-foot cargo ship, the Beluga SkySails, with kites the size of football fields to harness the wind and move it in a cheaper, more environmentally friendly way, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Saturday.

The ship is to embark Dec. 15 on its initial voyage from Denmark to Houston.

While, the vessel's design could potentially alter the way maritime transport occurs in years to come, some experts question its practicality.

"This could work, but there is an extra cost entailed, and it won't make much sense if the price of fuel falls back," said John Barnes, editor of the magazine Marine Engineers Review. "It seems to be a practical approach, but we still need to see what the benefits and penalties will be."