Wind Assisted Sails News

bound4blue has completed the installation of four 22-meter eSAIL suction sails onboard Marflet Marine's Santiago I, positioning the company as the first Spanish merchant fleet owner to commit to wind-assisted propulsion and suction sails.The installation, completed at EDR Antwerp Shipyard following 'wind ready' preparation work at IMC Shipyard in Zhoushan, China, transforms the 49,999 DWT chemical tanker into a flagship for Spanish maritime innovation. Engineering support for the project was provided by Cotenaval.Signed in May 2024…

Earlier this summer, PIRIOU delivered the Atlantis to NEWTOWT, a new French shipping company formed after the takeover of TOWT. As the third sailing cargo vessel in the fleet and the first vessel delivered to the new shipowner, the Atlantis joins the Anémos and Artémis, both of which were delivered by PIRIOU in 2024.After leaving the PIRIOU shipyard in Vietnam in early August, the Atlantis is currently making a stopover at Le Port in Reunion Island to take on supplies at Quay 8, opposite the new TITAN dock at the Grand Port Maritime de La Réunion (GPMDLR).

Topic, TSUNEISHI SHIPBUILDING and OceanWings announced the successful completion of OceanWings rigid wingsail installation aboard the Ultramax bulk carrier MARIA TOPIC. Retrofitted at TSUNEISHI SHIPBUILDING in Japan, the vessel now returns to commercial service, marking a milestone in OceanWings' commercial deployment and in the adoption of wind-assisted propulsion for merchant shipping.The successful retrofit demonstrates that rigid wingsail technology can be successfully integrated into an operating merchant vessel.

Danish shortsea operator Baltic Shipping Company has added two new Damen-built hybrid coasters equipped with wind-assisted propulsion and battery systems to its fleet.The 3,550-dwt sister vessels Baltic Iron and Baltic Timber are each fitted with two Econowind VentoFoils, which are expected to reduce fuel consumption by up to 12% by harnessing wind to generate supplementary propulsion.The VentoFoils generate aerodynamic thrust that reduces the propulsion power required from the vessels' main engines, cutting both fuel consumption and associated CO2 emissions.

German shipowner Leonhardt & Blumberg has equipped HANSA DREJOE with Econowind VentoFoils. The vessel is the first of four general cargo newbuilds to receive wind propulsion technology. The first installation was completed on HANSA DREJOE at Royal Niestera Sander Shipyard in early August, with HANSA CHRISTIANSOE currently at the yard. Econowind calculated that the VentoFoils will deliver around 10 percent additional thrust, reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions accordingly.

bound4blue has completed the installation of a 22-metre-high eSAIL onboard the newbuild multipurpose vessel Na Hiro E Pae, marking a milestone for both the vessel owner, Société de Navigation des Australes SNA Tuha'a Pae Shipping Company, and the wider adoption of wind propulsion technology.Multipurpose cargo vessels in French Polynesia are commonly known as “goelettes,” a reference to the schooners that historically supplied remote islands under sail. Na Hiro E Pae is the first known multipurpose vessel worldwide to adopt a wind propulsion system…

bound4blue has received Type Approval Design Certification (TADC) from DNV for its Model 3-24 eSAIL, the company’s largest and most powerful installed suction sail. The approval, formally presented during a handover ceremony at last week’s Posidonia in Athens, confirms the system’s compliance with DNV’s classification requirements for safety, structural integrity, and design robustness.bound4blue’s Model 3 range is designed for larger vessels and projects looking to maximize the possible propulsive contribution from wind power. Units range from 24 meters to 36 meters in height.

Dutch wind-assisted ship propulsion specialist Econowind is moving into the deepsea market with the launch of its new 5-series VentoFoil, a larger steel suction wing system for oceangoing vessels. Unveiled last week in Heeg, the 30-meter model is based on the same principles as the company’s successful 3-series wing.The 5-series targets deepsea owners and operators looking for practical ways to cut fuel consumption and improve regulatory compliance. The launch is the next step for Econowind, after selling more than 150 suction wings across a broad range of vessel types and trades.

Grieg Maritime Group has signed a contract with GT Wings to install at least two of their AirWing20 on their fleet.Energy efficiency will be crucial for both climate action and commercial success going forward. Waiting for new fuels and new ships will not be enough to succeed; measures must also be implemented on the existing fleet.The GT Wings AirWing20 is a Jet Sail that will enable Star Kirkenes to take advantage of the wind, reducing fuel consumption.The AirWing was selected for its high thrust output and compact footprint…

bound4blue and Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) have completed the second installation of eSAILs in EPS’ fleet, fitting three 22-meter-high units on MR tanker Pacific Sunstone at New Times Shipbuilding in Jiangsu Province, China. The project marks EPS’ first newbuild installation following a successful retrofit project on Pacific Sentinel.With smaller footprints than other solutions, eSAILs generate lift up to seven times greater than conventional rigid sails of the same size. The units are also non-ATEX…

Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co., Ltd. (DSIC) unveiled a new generation of decarbonization-focused vessel designs, including a wind-assisted 175,000-cu.-m. LNG carrier that has received Approval in Principle (AiP) from Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV). Developed by DSIC, the wind-assisted LNG carrier introduces an integrated solution combining LNG dual-fuel propulsion with sail-assisted technology, offering a practical and cost-controlled upgrade pathway for the global fleet of 175,000 m³ LNG carriers. The vessel is equipped with three next-generation foldable wing sails based on proprietary technology. Manufactured using lightweight composite materials, the sails feature independent folding and rotation functions.

Japanese shipowner Nissen Kaiun has become a shareholder in Dutch Wind-Assisted Shipping Propulsion company Econowind. The Imabari-based shipping company, which operates a diversified fleet through several subsidiaries, said it had chosen Econowind for its technology.Econowind has developed the VentoFoil, a wing-shaped wind-assist device that drives decarbonization within the shipping markets. More than 130 units have been sold globally, with customers ranging from shortsea and…

Union Maritime’s new wind-assist tanker Brands Hatch has completed its maiden voyage, achieving more than a third of its propulsion power from wind when conditions were favorable.The vessel is the first newbuild tanker installed with BAR Technologies’ WindWings®.Brands Hatch achieved significant fuel savings while maintaining strong sailing speeds in challenging weather.Union Maritime also employed sail-aware weather routing from Ascenz Marorka on the voyage. Whilst on global routes each WindWing can save an average of 1.5 tonnes of fuel per wing per day.

Econowind has received a repeat order from Terntank for the installation of eight VentoFoil units on two additional methanol-ready hybrid tankers. Following the initial order in May 2023 for three newbuilds, this brings the total to five vessels and 20 VentoFoils, with each ship fitted with four 16-meter wind wings.The first vessel, Tern Vik, was delivered in April 2025 by China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Yangzhou). The entire series is equipped with Kongsberg’s energy and propulsion management system. Under the K-Sail concept, wind can take the lead when conditions are favorable.

Real-life measurements, collected by the Cleanship project, will provide insights into the actual effect of wind-assisted sails on commercial vessels. Uni-Tankers’ M/T Jutlandia Swan has been equipped with four wing sails, known as VentoFoils. This marks a milestone in the Danish Cleanship project, funded by the Danish EPA’s MUDP program, which aims to collect new and more precise data on the practical effect of wingsails. The goal is to provide the shipping industry with a stronger foundation for reducing both fuel consumption and emissions.With the installation of the four sails…