Bulkers emerging as champions of wind-assisted propulsion as rotor sails hold sway over WPT installations

Rotor sails lead the way as the preferred solution for shipowners looking to reduce emissions and increase fuel efficiency by tapping into the potential of wind-assisted propulsion on board their ships.

According to recent data from the International Windship Association (IWSA), rotor sails have been installed on a significant percentage of the wind-assisted cargo capacity, which is standing at 1.4 million dwt.

“On the installations, we are currently at 23 installed with 4 wind-ready, two of which will receive their rigs in the coming weeks/couple of months. The largest of the additional two is the MV New Aden, a VLCC which pushes the deadweight tonnage over 1.4 million.

“There are 24 listed as to be delivered this year (with some leeway into Q1 2024), of which many of those are bulkers ranging in between 80,000-210,000 dwt. There are also 5-6 smaller general cargo vessels slated for delivery this year,” Gavin Allwright, IWSA Secretary General, told Offshore Energy.

“The following year, 2024 is also looking strong, however we don’t have solid figures for retrofits yet as these will be announced publicly as we progress through 2023.”

Interestingly, out of the installed vessels, only six are newbuilds while the remaining ships all had wind-assist technology retrofitted on board to bolster their efficiency. The general cargo sector is leading the way in the Wind Propulsion Technology (WPT) installations, followed by ROROs, bulkers and ferries.

More than half of these ships have fixed, hinged or movable rotor sails installed. They are followed by hinged suction wings and retractable wing sails. In total there were 28 rotor sails installed at the end of the fourth quarter of 2022, followed by 12 suction wings, 6 rigid sails, 4 soft/hybrid sails and one kite.

Some of the most recent projects saw the delivery of M/V Berlin, a ferry owned by Scandlines, retrofitted with a 30-meter fixed rotor sail.

Equipping Berlin with rotor sail follows the  installation of the Norsepower solution on the hybrid ferry M/V Copenhagen in 2020.

During a one year period, the results showed a reduction of CO₂ emissions from the hybrid ferry by an average of 4%, and on good days with optimal wind conditions by as much as 20%, according to Scandlines.

Rotor sails are largely being chosen due to their proven track record and increasing availability on standard equipment lists.

One reason for the popularity of rotor sails is also in the fact that shipowners prefer to have three points of reference when assessing and comparing new technologies. Rotor sails are currently the first to meet this criteria, which has helped to solidify their position as the go-to choice for many in the shipping industry, Allwrights explains.

Another advantage of rotor sails is their robustness and stability. With hinged and rail variations available, they offer flexibility and adaptability for a range of vessels and operating conditions.

There are several companies that are currently designing and manufacturing rotor sails for the shipping industry. Some of the prominent players in this field include companies like Norsepower, Anemoi Marine Technologies, and Eco Marine Power. However, as interest in this technology continues to grow, we can expect to see more companies entering the market and offering their own versions of rotor sails for use in shipping.

Norsepower recently secured a capital loan of up to €10 million euros for increasing its production capacity. The company is gathering over €25 million in funding for production facility investments to expand its rotor sail assembly line, as well as for operations and working capital.

The company secured a convertible bond loan of €5.6 million from its owners and Nefco, which has been earmarked for investments in its production hubs in China.

There is a growing demand and interest in production and adoption of wind propulsion in Asia. Production lines are being relocated to the region from Europe and gearing up to deliver larger standardized units. There is also growing interest in the region to fund pilot projects and undertake new research projects there, according to Allqwright.

Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has been at the forefront of Asian shipping industry exploring the potential of wind-power for its vessels through its Wind Challenger project. The company is upping the ante with its recently-announced Wind Hunter vessel concept – a vessel set to be fitted with multiple rigid sails and able to produce hydrogen on board.

As the shipping industry continues to grapple with the challenges of reducing emissions and meeting environmental regulations, the use of innovative technologies like rotor sails and their emerging counterparts will undoubtedly play an important role in driving progress and promoting sustainability.

Looking ahead, the industry can expect to see an increase in the use of rigid wings, kites, and suction wings in the coming year, particularly on smaller vessels, Allwright says. These emerging technologies have the potential to complement and enhance the performance of rotor sails, as well as offer new solutions for reducing emissions and improving fuel efficiency.

By Q4 2023, the combined tonnage will be circa 3.3 million dwt on 49 ships with 105 rigs, based on the on public announcements and yard orders made by the end of 2022. These are likely to change with new project announcements/cancellations.

As for the vessel sector, bulkers are set to take over the largest share in the WPT installations by fleet category by the end of fourth quarter of 2023 with 22 vessels, followed by general cargo (12 ships), RORO (8), ferries and tankers with 3 installations each.

Singapore-based dry bulk owner Berge Bulk is among bulker owners seeking to install the technology on boards its ships. The company will install four BARTech WindWings by Yara Marine Technologies on board the 210 dwt bulk carrier Berge Olympus., and it has also ordered installation of Anemoi rotor sails.

Based on the publicly announced projects, the figures for WPT installations are set to grow exponentially, rotor sails again leading the way with expected 44 installations set to be completed by the need of 2023. These figures are likely to change further as new projects get announced in the meantime.

Suction wings are expected to hit 31 installations by the end of the year, followed by rigid sails (17), 6 kites and 7 soft/hybrid sails. One of the most recent adopters of the technology is Japan’s Marubeni, which is seeking to install four suction wings on a Panamax bulker.

In conclusion, IWSA expects that economies of scale and the learning curve will start to bring down costs substantially, paving the way for hundreds of rigs to be delivered to the market in the upcoming two years and thousands by the end of 2030.