Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) has been awarded an approval in principle (AiP) by Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) for the design of a membrane LNG Carrier which includes the installation of the Wind Challenger wind-assistance propulsion system.
The design was jointly developed by MOL and Hanwha Ocean, with the AiP marking what MOL believes to be the world’s first approval for an LNG carrier with a wind-assisted propulsion system.
The LNG carrier that has obtained this AiP is 286m long, 174,000m3 cargo capacity and will be capable of entering LNG terminals worldwide. It is equipped with two three-tier Wind Challenger sails, made of fibre reinforced plastic, up to about 49m high and 15m wide. The detailed design work is currently underway for the new LNG carrier ordered by MOL from Hanwha Ocean, aiming for actual installation.
MOL, Hanwha Ocean, and ClassNK conducted a risk assessment that comprehensively evaluated factors such as the placement of the sails, their impact on visibility, emergency operation procedures, and other safety measures, leading to the obtaining this AiP. Additionally, the evaluation of the impact on the cargo tank due to the sail installation, conducted by Gaztransport et Technigaz SA (GTT), the designer of the vessel’s cargo tank, contributed to obtaining the AiP. GTT has confirmed that the structural safety of the tank is sufficiently ensured, even when considering the stresses imposed by sails.
One of the key strategies in achieving MOL’s GHG reduction target is the introduction of energy-saving technologies, and the group plans to launch 25 vessels equipped with the Wind Challenger by 2030 and 80 vessels by 2035.
Image: Rendering showing Wind Challenger installation on LNG carrier (source: MOL)
