Port of Singapore welcomes recent visits of wind-powered vessels

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore on Tuesday (17 October) said the republic welcomed several wind-powered cargo ships recently. 

Last week, Berge Olympus, a 210,000 DWT dry bulk carrier, powered by wind-assisted propulsion, made its maiden voyage to Singapore while on its way to Brazil from China. 

“Owned by Berge Bulk, the wind-powered cargo ship was retrofitted with four giant rigid WindWings. These sails can be adjusted to optimise the ship’s aerodynamic performance and harness the power of wind to save fuel and reduce CO₂ emissions,” it said in a social media post. 

Another bulk carrier, Pyxis Ocean, the world’s first cargo ship to sail with WindWings, also visited Singapore last month. The Singapore-flagged vessel is owned by Mitsubishi Corporation and also uses wind-powered technology.

MPA Chief Executive Eng Dih Teo, in a separate social media post, added the Panama-flagged Sea Zhoushan that was fitted with Norsepower rotor sails also visited Singapore.

MPA said the future of sustainable shipping depends on innovative solutions like utilising wind-powered technology and alternative marine fuels. 

“With the shipping industry contributing to global emissions, it is crucial that we find ways to reduce its environmental impact. By combining traditional knowledge with modern technology, alternative technologies such as wind-assisted propulsion could be a step in the right direction in sustainability, and pave the way towards a greener, GHG emissions-free future for the shipping industry,” it added. 

Related: Berge Bulk launches bulker “Berge Olympus” with retrofitted WindWings 

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore / Eng Dih Teo
Published: 18 October, 2023