The MS Beluga SkySails is pulled along by a computer-controlled kite attached to the bows of the ship, assisting the engines and reducing fuel consumption by up to 35 percent depending on the prevailing wind conditions.

The 160-square-metre (1,722-square-foot) kite was made by Hamburg-based company, SkySails.

"During the next few months we will finally be able to prove that our technology works in practice and significantly reduces fuel consumption and emissions," said Stephan Wrage, SkySails' managing director.

The advantage of the kite over a sail is that it can pull the ship along regardless of the direction of the wind -- and unlike a mast it does not hinder the loading and unloading of cargo vessels.

The company admitted that the kite may not yet be sufficiently strong for widespread commercial use.

"It is particularly important to raise the manageability and robustness of the system to the level demanded by our customers," said SkySails' technical manager Stephan Brabeck.

The ship was to leave from Bremerhaven in northern Germany bound for Guanta in Venezuela.

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