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Japan's Eco Marine Power (EMP) says that a step forward has been made in the development of the Aquarius System when work began on the detailed design of the wind and solar sail panel.

The rigid sails are being developed by EMP in co-operation with a number of development partners. According to EMP, the sails will form part of an array which will allow ships to tap into renewable energy at sea, at anchor or even when a ship is in harbour.

Each sail panel will be positioned by a computer control system being developed by KEI System Pty Ltd of Osaka, Japan, and the sails can be lowered and stored when not it use. When wind conditions are not favourable they can also be positioned to offer little wind resistance and yet still collect solar energy.

Recent advances in solar module technology mean that it is now feasible to use a combined rigid sail and solar energy collection device and EMP says it is at the forefront of developing this technology.

"Using solar modules mounted on a rigid but movable sail panel offers many advantages over simply mounting solar panels on the deck of ship and Eco Marine Power believes the Aquarius System will also offer an attractive return on investment (ROI) for shipping lines," EMP said in a statement.

The company added: "The scalability of the Aquarius System means that it can be used on a variety of ships without needing to be re-designed. This makes it ideally suited for shipping lines as it can be used on a variety of ship types and sizes. The Aquarius System could also be fitted to naval, coast guard and fishery protection vessels."

"The system looks set to make an impact on world shipping in the years ahead and will help reduce harmful gas emissions on a global scale," EMP said.