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Exclusive: Rotor Sails and efficient port operations go hand-in-hand, says Anemoi

Bulk carrier owners are increasingly turning to Rotor Sails as a leading wind-assisted propulsion technology, highlighting its ability to enhance vessel efficiency while prioritising both cargo operations and environmental concerns.

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Exclusive: Rotor Sails and efficient port operations go hand-in-hand, says Anemoi

Anemoi Marine Technologies, a UK-based Rotor Sail developer, wrote an exclusive editorial contribution for Singapore-based bunkering publication Manifold Times focusing on how Rotor Sails are the system of choice for bulk carrier owners looking for a wind-propulsion system that ensures their vessel can operate effectively at ports without impacting cargo operations: 

Bulk carrier owners are increasingly adopting wind-assisted propulsion systems to enhance vessel efficiency and comply with greenhouse gas emissions regulations in the shipping sector.  Rotor Sails are leading this trend, offering a simple, cost-effective solution that reduces reliance on the main engine, cuts fuel use and emissions, while maintaining consistent vessel speed. 

Bulk carriers, with their ample deck space, stand to benefit the most, catching the attention of leading owners and charterers like Vale and Berge Bulk, both of which have announced partnerships with Anemoi Marine Technologies, the UK-based developer of Rotor Sails, to install wind-propulsion systems on their vessels to improve their efficiency and remain compliant with stringent emissions regulations, such as CII and EEXI/EEDI.

In November 2023, Vale announced plans to install five Anemoi Rotor Sails on the 400,000 dwt Sohar Max, the world’s largest ore carrier, aiming to save up to 3,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually and reduce fuel usage by 6%.  Similarly, the 82,000 dwt Kamsarmax bulk carrier TR Lady expects a 10% reduction in annual fuel consumption following the installation of three Rotor Sails in August 2023.

Berge Bulk, based in Singapore, is fitting  a 388,000 dwt Valemax with four Rotor Sails, combined with Anemoi’s bespoke folding deployment system.  This move aligns with their fleet decarbonisation strategy, aiming to deploy deep-sea zero-emission vessels by 2030 and saving between 1,200-1,500 tonnes of fuel annually for each vessel.

However, while bulk carrier owners see the benefits of wind-propulsion tech both financially and environmentally, they are wary about ensuring the onboard systems do not impact cargo operations at ports and access to narrower waterways. 

Luke McEwen, Technical Director at Anemoi

Luke McEwen, Technical Director at Anemoi

“Commercial operations are king for vessel owners,” said Luke McEwen, Technical Director at Anemoi. “If you’ve invested millions in a vessel, you want to see that return. If onboard technologies, such as wind-assisted propulsion systems, limit the amount of cargo you can take onboard or impact the speed at which you are able to load or unload the cargo, then that hits the vessel’s bottom line.

“This is where Rotor Sails have a crucial commercial advantage. They are relatively small in comparison to a standard vessel and can be moved either along or down the deck or even folded down to the horizontal to ensure that they do not interfere with cranes or other infrastructure during port operations at berth,” he added.

Real-world implications are vital to consider when deciding on a Rotor Sail configuration. “We have put a huge amount of work into understanding the different cargo operations for all kinds of bulk carriers to ensure the systems can work at as many ports and waterways as possible. We’ve worked with dozens of ports, looking at over 100 different berths to understand how the various configurations will impact port operations, including making sure cranes can still fully operate and how loading and unloading procedures could be affected.

“All of these questions make sure we know we’re designing the right product and we can advise the owner of the optimum number and configuration of Rotor Sails for a specific vessel,” he added.

Vessel owners must also consider the complexity of wind-propulsion technology installation and, once again, this is where the various options available on the market offer varying degrees of simplicity, with Rotor Sails proving the most viable option.

“The Rotor Sails we produce at Anemoi are relatively plug-and-play.  The sails are light and can be easily fixed to the deck with little or no under-deck strengthening, while minimal new cabling is required to connect the systems to the main switchboard and bridge.  Other wind-propulsion technologies that are much taller and heavier, requiring stronger foundations to secure them to the deck,” Luke noted.

“The reliability of the deployment systems is just as important as the Rotor Sails themselves, particularly for bulk carriers.  We want to ensure the Rotor Sails can be moved out of the way quickly and efficiently ahead of any cargo operation to ensure a vessel can carry out its daily functions without any concerns and then back to their seagoing position for the vessel’s next voyage.  This flexibility is crucial and another reason why our Rotor Sails have become so sought after,” he added.

Rotor Sails are hailed for their reliability in improving vessel efficiency and reducing fuel consumption. With a streamlined design and efficient infrastructure, they are emerging as the leading choice for bulk carrier owners seeking uninterrupted cargo operations and smooth daily vessel functions.

Related: Exclusive: Anemoi lays out financial and environmental benefits of Rotor Sails

 

Photo credit: Anemoi Marine Technologies
Published: 1 July, 2024

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Wind-assisted

DNV: Stricter emission regulations and industry innovation drive rapid WAPS uptake

DNV has published a new whitepaper on WAPS technologies, their onboard implementation, and potential bunker fuel savings to help shipowners determine whether they are a viable business option.

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DNV: Stricter emission regulations and industry innovation drive rapid WAPS uptake

Classification society DNV on Tuesday (4 February) said a surge in industry interest combined with systems builders and yards scaling up production and installation capacity, is set to accelerate growth in orders for wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS) in the coming years. 

In response to this trend, DNV's new whitepaper provides a detailed look at WAPS technologies, their onboard implementation, and potential fuel savings to help shipowners determine whether they are a viable business option for their vessels and operations.

DNV’s whitepaper explores the design and operational factors influencing WAPS fuel savings and provides steps for evaluating the technical feasibility of new systems, from concept to implementation. The paper includes two case studies in EU waters modeling how different WAPS installations can effectively reduce fuel costs and emissions in compliance with EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime.

Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO Maritime at DNV, said: “As we navigate the maritime energy transition, it's crucial to consider all options for decarbonization. And as more verified data comes in, the business case for WAPS technologies is building.”

“They are already delivering significant fuel savings when matched to the right vessel type and operational profile.”

“And as part of the suite of new energy efficiency technologies, WAPS are stepping up to deliver immediate emissions reductions and play a growing role in the maritime decarbonization journey.” 

Retrofitting WAPS is possible for almost any ship with sufficient deck space and unobstructed airflow, even if not originally designed for sails. However, vessels with WAPS integrated into the design offer even greater opportunities for optimization. 

Currently, 75% of the WAPS fleet are retrofits, primarily tankers and general cargo vessels. Rotor sails have been the preferred technology for the bulk and tanker sectors (54% share of systems installed), while suction sails are the main choice for general cargo ships (67%).

Hasso Hoffmeister, Senior Principal Engineer at DNV, said: “Current WAPS technologies use advanced control and automation systems, combining aerodynamics, automation, computer modelling, and modern materials.”

“Today, these technologies are not widely adopted but show significant promise as a component in hybrid propulsion systems. Looking ahead, we might see the first pure wind powered modern large cargo vessel, Orcelle, contracted in the next few years.”

Drivers behind the rapid WAPS uptake are also tied to economic benefits of complying with current and future regulations like the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) and upcoming IMO regulations that set CO2 emission requirements for new and existing ships. 

WAPS can help meet these requirements through a correction factor as well as improve Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) ratings by reducing fuel consumption. 

DNV has been at the forefront of developing rules and standards for verifying and certifying WAPS and their integration onboard, publishing the first class notation for ships using WAPS in 2019. This notation is supported by the ST-0511 “Wind Assisted Propulsion Systems” certification standard. DNV’s “WAPS Ready” notation, which uses a modular approach to verify compliance for future WAPS installations and DNV’s new recommended practice (RP), which proposes an on/off methodology to measure performance, will be updated in 2025.

Note: A free copy of DNV’s WAPS whitepaper can be downloaded here.

 

Photo credit: DNV
Published: 5 February, 2025

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Bunker Fuel

MOL takes delivery of world’s first multi-purpose vessel to run on MGO and wind power

“Prima Verde” is the world’s first vessel of any type to use green steel materials, an engine that can run exclusively on MGO and a wind assisted vessel propulsion system, says MOL.

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MOL takes delivery of world’s first multi-purpose vessel to run on MGO and wind power

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) on Thursday (30 February) said the multi-purpose vessel Prima Verde, operated by its group company MOL Drybulk and owned by Daishin Shipping, was delivered at Onomichi Dockyard.

The vessel has a range of environmentally friendly features, and is the world's first vessel of any type to use green steel materials, an engine that can run exclusively on marine gas oil (MGO) and a wind assisted vessel propulsion system.

JGreeX, a green steel material supplied by JFE Steel Corporation that significantly reduces CO2 emissions, in which CO2 emission reductions in the steel manufacturing process are allocated to optional steel materials, is used for the vessel's hull.

The vessel is also equipped with an engine from Japan Engine Corporation that can run exclusively on MGO. The engine has high combustion efficiency and low carbon dioxide emissions during operation.

It is also equipped with two VentoFoil wind power assisted vessel propulsion devices from ECONOWIND B.V., for which MOL Techno-Trade, Ltd. serves as a sales agent. 

The installation is expected to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions by utilising wind power for propulsion.

 

Photo credit: Mitsui O.S.K. Lines
Published: 4 February, 2025

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Classification Society

LR: Risk sharing key component to viable emissions reduction

When major change is introduced on a ship, there are numerous aspects to consider by all stakeholders involved which all add risk.

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Elina Papageorgiou

Shipping must be open to sharing the risks associated with emissions reduction to enable the uptake of energy savings devices and technologies (ESDs/ESTs) and digital applications, stated classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) representatives during a presentation at Athens during early December.

The responsibility of investing in and driving the uptake of new solutions must be borne by all relevant stakeholders and not sit solely with the shipowner. This extends not only to financial exposure, but also new vessel design and data sharing.

When major change is introduced on a ship, there are numerous aspects to consider by all stakeholders involved which all add risk. Energy producers, the energy consumers, the associated supply chains, and the investors, insurers, regulators, class societies and governments – all have critical, but different and highly inter-related roles to play within the transition.

“We are in a new era of shipping that comes with a different set of rules, including shipping companies’ approach risk and risk sharing,” shared Elina Papageorgiou, Global Strategic Growth Director and VP Greece and Cyprus at LR at the Powering Progress: Innovation and Energy in Maritime event.

“Longer-term investment decisions should also be informed by the decisions of shipping’s clients’, clients – the cargo owners – and align with their emissions reduction ambitions.”

David Lloyd, Director, Energy Transition at LR, meanwhile noted: “Smart vessel operation and well-informed, data-led investment decisions can significantly support vessel compliance. What’s more, investments don’t have to be extensive to achieve results.”

“Whilst uncertainties around bigger challenges such as alternative fuels and future requirements are resolved, ESDs and digital solutions can support the commercial viability of vessels as we approach 2030 with often surprisingly low levels of investment. But these investments should be shared across all stakeholders and not be limited to owners and financiers.”

Fotis Belexis, Technical Director of Starbulk Carriers, were amongst speakers discussing risk sharing across stakeholders for complex capital investments.

He pointed out that as existing vessels age, they cannot be replaced by newbuilds as there is insufficient global shipbuilding capacity to replenish the fleet with newer tonnage.

As such, older vessels may therefore remain in the market for longer than expected and not depreciate in value as has been the case in the past. Banks and other lenders must realise this and adjust their depreciation and lending models to suit when ship owners want to finance retrofits of ESDs on their older ships.

Moving forward, the room agreed energy saving devices (ESDs), such as wind-assisted ship propulsion, digital solutions and smart operations should all be considered as the in-service fleet using traditional marine fuels seeks to shave its bunker fuel consumption to comply with IMO’s Carbon Intensity Indicator, EU ETS (Emissions Trading Scheme) and FuelEU regulations – the latter will which be in effect as of 1 January 2025.

As emissions reduction targets increase, with steeper increments than currently planned potentially being announced at the Marine Environment Protection Committee meeting in May next year, data-led insight and scenario planning will become more important to understand where efficiencies can be gained.

 

Photo credit: Lloyd’s Register
Published: 31 December 2024

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