Spanish company Bound4Blue has installed its “eSails” for the first time on a tanker owned by shipping company Odfjell.
The retrofitting of the “Bow Olympus” with four 22 m high sails was completed in just two days. In future, the tanker should be able to save fuel and emissions.
The rapid completion of the work was made possible by a two-stage process. During a planned stay of the “Bow Olympus” (49,000 dwt) in dry dock, the bases for the new sails were first fitted before the eSails were installed at the EDR shipyard in Antwerp.
Environmental benefits thanks to Bound4Blue technology
The fully automatic “Suction Sails” from Bound4Blue help to save fuel by drawing air over an optimized aerodynamic profile. Odfjell chose Bound4Blue after an in-depth study of competing sail models. The “combination of performance, amortization potential, environmental and regulatory benefits” of the sails and the safe use on board a chemical tanker were important factors in the Norwegian shipping company’s decision.
“We are delighted to support Odfjell in introducing wind propulsion technology to the maritime industry,” said David Ferrer, co-founder and CTO of Bound4Blue. “Installing sail systems on such a vessel can be challenging due to ATEX zones and clearance height restrictions. However, eSails’ simple mechanics provide a smooth solution and allow for the installation of non-ATEX units. This helps to reduce investment costs and simplifies the installation process. This is an important advantage for the tanker manufacturer, as shown by the increasing number of projects from this important segment in our order book.” ATEX (abbreviated from the French for “Atmosphères Explosives”) refers to two EU directives on explosion protection.
“In addition, their high performance, which generates six to seven times the lift of most common winches compared to equally proportioned rigid sails, allows us to minimize their size and eliminate the need for tilt systems. Odfjell has recognized eSails’ ability to meet the company’s ambitious sustainability goals through an external evaluation. We look forward to setting sail together with them.”
Growing order book
Odfjell now joins owners such as Amasus, Eastern Pacific Shipping and Louis Dreyfus Armateurs with the installation of eSails. Large shipping companies such as Maersk Tankers, Marflet Marine and Klaveness Combination Carriers are also filling a steadily growing order book for Bound4Blue.
Erik Hjortland, VP Technology at Odfjell, comments on the decision for wind power: “We have taken important steps to minimize our emissions and have reduced the CO2 intensity of our fleet by 53% compared to the base year 2008,” said Erik Hjortland, VP Technology at Odfjell. “We have achieved this through numerous operational measures and the installation of various energy-saving devices.”
The installation of a wind propulsion system was the next step. Data on CO2 and fuel savings is now to be collected on board the “Bow Olympus”. “This data will be essential for further decisions as we continue to improve the environmental performance of our existing ships while preparing for future newbuilds that will accompany us until 2050 and beyond,” says Hjortland.
