US group Cargill Inc., one of the largest agribusiness companies, announced on Wednesday that it is working with a number of partners in the technology sector to install sails on ships in its fleet, with the idea of using wind power and reducing emissions of CO2, Reuters reports.

About 90% of world trade is transported by sea and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) wants to reduce ships’ greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2050, compared to the level of 2008. The latest study commissioned by the IMO shows that CO2 emissions from shipping activities increased between 2012 and 2018 and are responsible for 2.9% of global CO2 emissions, according to Agerpres.

Cargill, a company with a fleet of about 600 ships, said it has partnered with engineering specialist BAR Technologies and naval architect Deltamarin to develop sails up to 45 meters high that will be placed on the deck of ships and could reduce CO2 emissions by up to 30%.

“Some routes may be more suitable than others for wind-powered propulsion. This means the engine will run all the time, but at a slower-than-normal speed,” said Jan Dieleman, president of Cargill’s shipping division.

The project is currently in the design phase and the first ships would be launched in 2022.

“We decided to start with mid-range oil tanks because in their case loading and unloading operations are less of a problem for sails,” Dieleman said.