Norsepower’s Rotor Sail installed onboard Scandlines’ hybrid ferry

Scandlines’ hybrid ferry M/V Copenhagen has been retrofitted with Norsepower’s Rotor Sail Solution, Finnish auxiliary wind propulsion systems’ provider Norsepower said.

The installation of the rotor sail on board M/V Copenhagen, a hybrid passenger ferry operating between Rostock, Germany and Gedser, Denmark, has been completed in just a few hours during a scheduled overnight stop, following meticulous preparation over the past few months, the company said.

The rotor sail unit measures 30m in height and 5m in diameter.

The Norsepower Rotor Sail Solution – which can be installed on new vessels or retrofitted on existing ships – is a modernised version of the Flettner rotor, a spinning cylinder that uses the Magnus effect to harness wind power to thrust a ship.

The installation is the fourth one to be completed by Norsepower. The company estimates the solution would cut emissions by 4-5% on average without compromising pre-retrofit speed and voyage times.

The Rotor Sail is the first data verified and commercially operational auxiliary wind propulsion technology for the global maritime industry, Norsepower says. The solution is fully automated and detects whenever the wind is strong enough and starts automatically.

“We are delighted to announce this latest successful installation of the Rotor Sail, which demonstrates that retrofitting can be achieved without any interruption and downtime to day to day commercial operations,” Tuomas Riski, CEO, of Norsepower, said, adding that the addition of the rotor sail makes the M/V Copenhagen one of the world’s most energy-efficient ferries.

“With increasing international regulatory and public pressure on the maritime industry to decarbonise, it is essential for the industry to recognise the value of one of the oldest forms of propulsion – wind. The market for wind propulsion is increasing, and this installation demonstrates how combining all methods of vessel optimisation is key to broader progress.”
 
Scandlines CEO, Søren Poulsgaard Jensen, added there was a huge value in investing in technology with the ultimate goal of reducing emissions.

“Working with Norsepower on this innovative solution was a perfect fit with our values and ambitions regarding sustainable shipping. On our modern, hybrid ferry, this solution will sit alongside hydrodynamic hull optimisation, and a hybrid electric propulsion system with a battery powered energy storage system, improving not only our efficiency but also profitability, ” he said.