The British innovator behind a wingsail technological evolution has been recognised for her foresight in the field. Diane Gilpin claims to be near retirement, but shows no signs of letting up. She scooped the plaudits at the Everywoman in Transport and Logistics Awards yesterday (Thursday 26 June) in London’s Park Plaza hotel complex. The award was received over a formal lunch in front of over five hundred guests.
Zero-emissions wingsail technology, developed by Glasgow-based Smart Green Shipping, recently completed successful sea trials of its FastRig design. That earned the company founder and CEO, Diane Gilpin, the Technical Innovator Award at the Everywoman in Transport and Logistics Awards. The award citation gave her the nod for designing, developing, researching and implementing exceptionally creative technology within the transport and logistics Industry.
Commercial deployment from 2026
Smart Green Shipping (SGS) is the lead company behind a cross-sector collaboration that has come up with an intelligent, lightweight, retrofittable wingsail, which they designate “FastRig”. It’s their intention to accelerate the decarbonisation of global shipping. “FastRig is enabled by a digital core that enables frictionless market uptake and fuel/GHG savings of up to 40%pa,” said the awards citation.
WorldCargo News reported earlier this month on successful sea trials off the West Coast of Great Britain. For the rest of this year, the company says it will be focusing on building a global supply chain and expanding its team. They say FastRig, and the accompanying performance modelling tool FastRoute, are ready for commercial deployment from 2026.
Tackling marine greenhouse gas emissions
Diane Gilpin has been a pioneer in the tech industry for more than 30 years. Over the last decade, she has been a leading voice in tackling climate change. She has turned her insight and experience to tackling marine emissions, specifically at developing zero-carbon alternatives to ubiquitous diesel propulsion. Smart Green Shipping says that around three per cent of greenhouse gas emissions are down to global shipping operations.
The success of FastRig has rubbed off on Diane. This week’s award adds to a trophy cabinet that already sports accolades for the BBC ‘Woman of Power’ 2020; InnovateUK’s ‘Women in Innovation’ Award; and the International Windship Association’s ‘Outstanding Contribution’ Award for 2021. Diane also sits on UK Department for Transport Clean Maritime Council and is a European Green Shipping Expert for the EU Waterborne Transport Platform. She encouraged British innovators, especially women, to pursue their own ambitions. “Innovation empowers women,” she said in her acceptance speech. “You have so much to give and so much to do.”