Another general cargo ship with wind-assisted propulsion

Dutch shipowner Amasus Shipping has signed an agreement with Spanish cleantech engineering company bound4blue. Hence, equipping its general cargo vessel with wind-assisted propulsion technology.

Concept

Under the contract, the 91-meter Amasus’ M/V EEMS Traveller will undergo the retrofit of two 17-meter-high eSAILs during a port call in 2022.

According to bound4blue, the suction sails will expectedly reduce the 2,850DWT ship’s fuel costs and annual CO2 emissions by up to 30% in favorable trade routes.

Additionally, the installation will reduce the vessel’s Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) and improve the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII).

Therefore, this will extend EEMS Traveller’s compliance with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) measures aimed at reducing the carbon intensity of international shipping.

Different Takes

“In bound4blue we found a solid and professional partner in our mission to reduce the energy footprint of our fleet. We feel that wind is one of the most sustainable energy sources available and should be used for all our benefit, if possible. Reducing energy consumption by combining multiple techniques is the best pathway towards sustainableshipping.”

Arend-Jan Rozema, managing director of Amasus Shipping

“Our eSAIL is a commercially available, proven and reliable technology that turns wind into profit while reducing the carbon footprint of ships. Collaborating with Amasus Shipping team in this multiple sail installation is an opportunity to show again that; general cargo ships, which account for roughly 27% of the world merchant fleet, can benefit from our wind propulsion system.”

José Miguel Bermúdez, CEO of bound4blue

In December 2021, La Naumon, the first theatre vessel in the world retrofitted a similar unit. Particularly, the installation, approved by classification society DNV, was within the framework of the GREENing the Blue project. Note that it was co-funded by the European Union.

Source: bound4blue

Nerd Thoughts

The current use of alternative fuels and renewable energy sources within the shipping industry is still relatively scarce. In addition, the environmental legislation for emissions reduction is growing and seems to threaten the performance of ships.
Considering these concerns, there is the need to develop and apply innovative alternative power and propulsion technology for ships.

Therefore, the industry players are increasingly putting a modern spin on one of the oldest concepts in shipping. On another approach, Norsepower installs Rotor Sails on hybrid ferries to provide a 4 – 5% CO2 reduction.

It is exciting to witness the harnessing of wind energy for ship propulsion and its developments. Hope for more wind-assisted propulsion soon…

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