Wind propulsion solutions provider Anemoi Marine Technologies on Tuesday (8 July) officially opened its new Rotor Sail production facility in China.

Strategically located on the banks of the Yangtze River, Anemoi’s facility is located in Jingjiang City, Jiangsu Province, within Daming Heavy Industry’s manufacturing base.

The facility provides direct access to port infrastructure, enabling seamless logistics for import, export, and delivery.

With barge transport available on-site, Rotor Sails can be transported efficiently and installed directly at nearby major shipyards, streamlining operations and minimising environmental impact.

“This is more than just a new site,” said Clare Urmston, CEO of Anemoi.

“It’s a fully integrated, end-to-end production hub where every stage, from steel fabrication and precision assembly to rigorous testing and quality assurance, is handled under one roof.

“That means faster turnaround, uncompromised quality, and complete oversight by our expert team, on site, from start to finish. Anemoi’s strategy is quality first and this site enables exactly that.”

With an annual production capacity of 250 Rotor Sails, and the option to expand further and store units for fast turnaround, the new site positions Anemoi to meet surging global demand and support its customers in achieving critical decarbonisation goals.

Photo credit: Anemoi Marine Technologies
Published: 10 July 2025

Commodities group Trafigura and maritime technology provider ZeroNorth entered a strategic alliance on Wednesday (9 July).

The development involves a roll out of ZeroNorth’s platform across Trafigura’s controlled fleet of more than 350 vessels, including its voyage optimisation systems, emissions analytics and vessel reporting tools.

Additionally, Trafigura will take an equity stake in ZeroNorth, further deepening the ties between the two companies.

ZeroNorth’s technology uses advanced artificial intelligence and real-time data, including live weather conditions, vessel specifications, ship performance data and bunker fuel availability to optimise operational performance continuously.

The implementation of ZeroNorth’s solutions is expected to deliver reductions in both marine fuel consumption and carbon emissions across Trafigura’s chartered fleet.

As part of the agreement, Trafigura will also join ZeroNorth’s group of strategic partners, contribute practical industry insights to product development and play an active role in shaping the company’s long-term direction.

Andrea Olivi, Global Head of Shipping at Trafigura, commented: “This partnership marks an important step in Trafigura’s commitment to improving efficiency and sustainability across its maritime operations. The ZeroNorth platform will help us optimise fleet performance through enhanced monitoring of fuel and emissions while improving data collection and quality. It will also strengthen our relationships with vessel owners through more effective communication and information sharing.”

Søren C. Meyer, CEO at ZeroNorth said: “We’re proud to partner with Trafigura – one of the largest players in global commodity trading and shipping. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to advancing the use of technology and high-quality data, sending a clear signal to the industry about the vital roles these play in the energy transition. Trafigura’s insight, scale, and ambition will be invaluable to our strategic direction and will help accelerate the impact of our platform across the industry.”

Photo credit: ZeroNorth
Published: 10 July 2025

Zhoushan became the first port in China and third in the world to implement electronic bunker delivery notes (e-BDN) after issuing its first on Tuesday (1 July), learned bunkering publication Manifold Times.

On the evening of 1 July, under the supervision of Zhoushan Port authority, PetroChina Fuel Oil successfully completed a bunkering operation by refuelling bulk carrier AM Ocean Pride with 500 metric tonnes (mt) of fuel oil and 60 mt of diesel at the Xiushandong anchorage.

The crew of bunkering vessel YI FENG RUN 66 signed and confirmed all documents online through the “Zhoushan Bonded Ship Fuel Bunkering Electronic Signature and Handover System” (e-BDN system). The chief engineer on AM Ocean Pride simultaneously completed the corresponding electronic signature.

Concurrently, Sinopec Zhejiang Zhoushan Petroleum and its bunker barge DONG FANG ZHAO YANG delivered 1,500 mt of fuel oil to Pacific Glory at the same anchorage using Zhoushan port’s e-BDN system.

As such, both PetroChina Fuel Oil and Sinopec Zhejiang Zhoushan Petroleum have completed their first e-BDN deliveries at the China (Zhejiang) Pilot Free-Trade Zone.

“The successful implementation of e-BDN is a significant breakthrough for Zhoushan, accelerating the creation of a global bonded bunkering center. This marks the first time Zhoushan has successfully issued and delivered e-BDNs, completing the ‘last mile delivery’ for the full digitalisation of Zhoushan’s bonded bunkering business,” said the Zhoushan Port authority.

“Zhoushan has officially entered a new stage of digitalisation, becoming the first port in the country to promote the use of digital delivery for the entire process of bonded bunkering at the port level.”

The two companies that developed and operated the first batch of e-BDN systems in Zhoushan are TradeGo and Zhejiang Free Trade Zone Bulk Commodity Digital Trade & Technology Co., Ltd. (大宗数科).

A spokesperson from the Port Affairs Management Bureau of the Zhoushan Hi-Tech Zone Administrative Committee said: “The first batch of e-BDN systems will be used on five internationally certified bunker barges and will gradually be extended to all fuel barges in the future.

“In terms of infrastructure, we will further increase the installation ratio of high-precision Mass Flow Meters (MFMs), optimise the functions of the e-BDN system, and gradually promote the certification of barge MFM systems. We will also promote the use of e-BDN to enhance the digitalisation level of bunkering for customs clearance, providing global shipowners with a more convenient, transparent, and efficient bunkering service experience.

“In terms of policy support, we will accelerate the introduction of provincial standards for MFMs, establish an innovative free trade zone bonded bunkering service evaluation system, and implement a dispute resolution guarantee mechanism. We will also set up special support services for e-BDN and provide guarantees for its comprehensive promotion.”

Related: Singapore: TradeGo becomes fifth whitelisted e-BDN solution provider

Photo credit: Zhoushan Hi-Tech Zone Administrative Committee
Published: 2 July 2025