This cargo-ship concept is powered by gigantic wings and wants to reduce emissions by 90% — check out 'Oceanbird'

Oceanbird rendering.Wallenius Marine

• A group of Swedish researchers and boat builders designed Oceanbird, a new type of cargo ship that's powered by giant wings instead of a traditional engine.
• The ship will cut down on emissions by up to 90% compared to other cargo ships, according to Wallenius Marine, the manufacturer behind the concept.
• The huge fins will be able to swivel to catch the wind, and can retract to go under bridges.
• Oceanbird was conceived as a car carrier that can fit 7,000 vehicles, but Wallenius Marine said the technology can be adapted to other types of vessels, like cruise ships.

Cargo ships carry around 90% of global trade — roughly 11 billion tons of goods each year — and contribute mightily to global greenhouse-gas emissions. But one Swedish company is looking to make shipping a bit more sustainable with a new breed of emission-free vessels.

Shipbuilder Wallenius Marine teamed up with Stockholm's Royal Institute of Technology, maritime consultancy SSPA, and the Swedish Transportation Administration to design a new type of cargo ship that's far more ecologically friendly than the diesel-powered vessels on the seas today. The result of that partnership is Oceanbird, a cargo-ship concept that's pulled along by gigantic wing-like sails.

Wallenius claims Oceanbird will be able to carry 7,000 cars and be 90% more efficient than other ocean-going vessels. The trade-off, however, is that Oceanbird will take around 12 days to cross the Atlantic, whereas traditional ships currently make the journey in about eight.

Learn a bit more about the green cargo ship below.