Daniel Mann has been appointed as the new Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at Bound4Blue, a manufacturer of wind-assisted propulsion systems.
Mann previously served as Vice President of Business Development at Silverstream Technologies for four years. He has over 25 years of experience in the industry.
Among the various maritime and energy companies Mann can look back on in his career are a decade at Rolls-Royce, five years at Siemens and two years at MAN Energy Solutions.
Bound4Blue drives sail development forward
In his new position, Mann will play a key role in accelerating the launch of Bound4Blue’s “eSail“. In these so-called “Suction Sails”, air is drawn over an aerodynamically optimised surface to generate additional propulsion power. This “Wind Assisted Propulsion System” (WAPS) is intended to reduce the fuel consumption and emissions of ships in order to lower operating costs, meet regulatory requirements and contribute to greater sustainability in shipping. The technology received type approval from the classification society DNV at SMM 2024 in Hamburg.
“It’s not often that an opportunity like this comes along,” said Mann. “The WAPS niche is growing rapidly as wind power is finally being accepted as one of the key enablers for a greener maritime future. Within this segment, suction sails are the technology of choice, with Bound4Blue firmly established as a pioneer and trusted partner to the industry.”
Green technology and the decarbonisation of shipping are his passion, Mann shared, and he looks forward to contributing to the company’s growth.
Easy installation and maintenance
Bound4Blue’s “eSails” are said to be easy to install, operate and maintain as they have few moving parts. They are also said to be suitable for all types of ships, both new builds and retrofits. The possibility of using “free, readily available and inexhaustible green energy to reduce conventional fuel consumption” has sparked interest in the industry, the company said.
More recently, shipping companies such as Maersk Tankers, Eastern Pacific Shipping, Klaveness Combination Carriers, Marflet, Odfjell and Louis Dreyfus Company have signed contracts with Bound4Blue and the first sails have already been installed. David Ferrer, Chief Technical Officer and co-founder of the Spanish start-up, believes the foundations for “a new era of growth” are already in place. “We have a proven solution that opens up a profitable path to sustainability and immediately offers strong financial and environmental benefits to forward-thinking owners,” he said. “With the advent of new regulations and increasing recognition of the benefits of WAPS, we believe the conditions are in place for a rapid upswing in the adoption of eSails.”
He expressly welcomed Mann’s arrival. “Daniel has the expertise and ambition to help us realise this potential by building even closer customer relationships and connecting us to new markets and opportunities. It’s great to welcome him on board at Bound4Blue. There are exciting times ahead for us and the industry we serve.”
The eSails are available in three model sizes from 12 metres to 36 metres in height with optional tilting systems to allow them to be retracted in port operations, for example. The relevant ship segments include tankers, bulkers, RoRo ships, cruise ships and ferries.
The sails are designed to simplify compliance with existing and future regulations, including improving the CII rating of ships, increasing EEDI and EEXI, complying with the new FuelEU Maritime and saving allowances under the EU ETS emissions trading scheme.
