Louis Dreyfus Company to install 4 eSAILs® on its chartered juice vessel 

French agricultural merchant firm Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) has entered into a deal with the Spanish developer of wind-assisted bound4blue to fit wind sail technology on a chartered juice vessel MV Atlantic Orchard.

Chartered by LDC and owned by Wisby Tankers, MV Atlantic Orchard will be retrofitted with four 26-meter-high eSAILs®. The installation of the eSAILs® is planned for 2024 and, depending on vessel routing, is expected to reduce annual fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by at least 10%, the Spanish firm said. 

The eSAIL® system is based on wind-assisted propulsion technology known as a suction sail. By harnessing wind power to propel vessels, this technology achieves a substantial reduction in fuel consumption and pollutant emissions. The eSAIL® system leverages a thick aerodynamic profile and intelligent suction mechanisms to enhance propulsive efficiency, yielding seven times more lift than an airplane wing. 

The duo revealed that LDC’s decision to implement this technology was based on a third-party assessment study carried out by Lloyd’s Register. The classification society evaluated a range of solutions and identified bound4blue’s suction sails as the most promising.  

 “We’re pleased to announce our agreement with LDC to implement our eSAIL® system, demonstrating bound4blue’s ability to serve unique vessel types and affirming the maturity of our technology as a proven solution for fuel and emission reduction. LDC is at the forefront of adopting proven clean technologies to reduce carbon emissions in its fleet, and we are delighted to support them in their endeavor,” José Miguel Bermúdez, CEO of bound4blue, said. 

 “Reflecting LDC’s commitment to help shape a low-carbon economy, we are actively contributing to the global shipping industry energy transition journey, in line with the IMO’s target to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from the sector by 2050. We are therefore very pleased to partner with two key maritime industry players, bound4blue and Wisby Tankers, to install this advanced sail technology aboard our chartered juice carrier,” Sébastien Landerretche, LDC’s Global Head of Freight, explained. 

bound4blue has also been hired by French maritime firm Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) to install its eSAILs® on its ro-ro ship Ville de Bordeaux.

Three 22-metre-high eSAILs^® will be fitted to the Ville de Bordeaux ahead of a six-month performance monitoring period starting in early 2024. The Ville de Bordeaux is chartered from LDA by Airbus to ship A320 Family subassemblies from Europe to Mobile in the United States for final assembly.