Norwegian shipowner Odfjell and Spanish wind assisted propulsion system (WAPS) developer bound4blue have partnered to complete the first WAPS installation for the chemical tanker specialist, with four of bound4blue’s eSAILs® retrofitted on the 49,000 dwt ‘Bow Olympus’.
The 22m tall suction sails will help the advanced vessel achieve significant fuel savings, unlocking commercial, environmental and regulatory advantage. A tailored two-step installation process was deployed to accommodate the vessel’s busy schedule. Firstly, sail pedestals were fitted during a planned drydocking, before the eSails were lifted into place at EDR Antwerp Shipyard. Coordination between the three parties allowed the installation to be completed in two days.
bound4blue’s fully autonomous eSails, which generate propulsive efficiency by dragging air across an optimised aerodynamic profile, were selected by Odfjell following an in-depth study of various WAPS solutions by research institute RISE (formerly SSPA). The combination of the eSails’ performance, payback potential, environmental and regulatory benefits, combined with the ability to opt for non-Atex units on a chemical tanker, were said to be key considerations for Odfjell.
David Ferrer, Co-founder and CTO, bound4blue, said: “We’re excited to support Odfjell in adopting wind propulsion technology within the maritime industry. Installing WPS on a vessel like this can be challenging due to Atex zones and air draught limitations. However, the mechanical simplicity of eSails offers a smooth solution, allowing for the installation of non-Atex units, which helps reduce Capex and simplifies the installation process. Indeed, this is a key attraction for the tanker marker, as shown by the increasing number of projects from this crucial segment now populating our orderbook. Furthermore, their high performance, generating six to seven times the propulsive lift of equivalently proportioned rigid sails in most common winds, allows us to minimise their size, eliminating the need for tilting systems. Odfjell, with the assistance of a third-party evaluation, recognised the ability of eSails to deliver on the company’s ambitious sustainability goals. We’re delighted to set sail with them.”
The units, which can be installed in a single shipyard visit, were this time fitted in two convenient stages to meet the busy vessel’s operational goals. Electrical and structural preparations were made in a planned drydocking, while the sails were prepared and lifted into place in Antwerp.
Odfjell now joins owners such as Amasus, Eastern Pacific Shipping and Louis Dreyfus Armateurs with operational eSails, with major shipping companies such as Maersk Tankers, Marflet Marine and Klaveness Combination Carriers filling a growing orderbook.
Erik Hjortland, VP Technology, Odfjell, said: “We’ve made some major steps in minimising our emissions, reducing our fleet’s carbon intensity by 53% against the 2008 baseline. We’ve done this through many operational measures and by installing a range of different energy saving devices. Wind power was the next step. bound4blue’s suction sails have been chosen so we can determine the potential of wind propulsion in the continued work to reduce our emissions. It’ll be very interesting to start gathering and analysing data on the carbon and fuel savings the Bow Olympus can achieve with the suction sails. That data will be fundamental in informing further decisions, as we continue to improve the environmental performance of our existing vessels, while preparing for future newbuilds that will be with us into- and beyond 2050.”
As well as driving down emissions and fuel expenditure, WAPS is considered provide powerful regulatory advantages for owners such as Odfjell. It is said to be the only power source actively rewarded through FuelEU Maritime (Wind Reward Factor), while helping drive down emissions for EU ETS and positively impacting upon CII ratings, among other benefits. The eSails have a typical payback period of less than five years and are suitable for either newbuilds or retrofitting across a diverse array of vessel segments, including tankers, bulkers, ro-ros, cruises, ferries, gas carriers, and general cargo vessels.
Image: Installation of four bound4blue suction sails took two days (source: bound4blue/Blue-C)
