The world of commercial shipping has a new advocate for renewable energy—and the solution is a bit of a throwback. As in, “Throw back the sails—there’s a gust of wind!”

The International Windship Association (IWSA), a new U.K.-based industry group announced earlier this month, hopes to draw attention to wind propulsion as a form of energy for ships, in place of other types of power that can contribute to climate change.

“Our goal is to be an advocate for the development of wind propulsion solutions in the industry, whether retrofit, wind-assisted, new builds or wind as the primary propulsion source,” IWSA Secretary Gavin Allwright said in a news release. “We recognize and applaud the efforts of the industry to reduce emissions, the increased interest in renewable energy sources and the gradual changing perceptions about wind propulsion.”

Thus far, the association has attracted more than 50 members, according to the IWSA, and hopes to see further growth in the coming months.

The association came to be as the result of a meeting during the 2012 Creating Climate Wealth Summit in Berlin, a clean-tech conference held by the nonprofit Carbon War Room. Carbon War Room cited its efforts in encouraging sustainable shipping as one of the event’s success stories—and considering it berthed a trade group, the nonprofit may have its evidence.

The group hopes to sell regulators and the industry at large on the idea and to boost information-sharing and collaboration.

“With the help of our members, supporters within the industry, academia and other stakeholders, IWSA will be sending out a clear message: wind propulsion is a serious and increasingly proven option, financially a win-win situation and we are here to work with an industry ready for change,” Allwright added.

(International Windship Association)