The Dutch shipping company Jumbo relies on wind propulsion support for one of its heavy-lift vessels. The heavy-lift freighter is increasingly becoming a moving experimental laboratory.
Two mechanical sail components from Econowind have now been installed on the heavy-lift vessel “Jumbo Jubilee”. The wind-assisted ship propulsion solution (WASP) is described by Jumbo as “the latest in a series of innovative technologies” installed on the vessel to increase fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.
CEO Daan Kornneef said: “At Jumbo, we believe that every step towards sustainability is crucial. The installation of these mechanical sails on the ‘Jumbo Jubilee’ is a testament to our commitment to decarbonisation and innovation. While there is always more to do, initiatives like this bring us closer to a greener shipping industry.”
Jumbo wants to use sail components flexibly
The shipping company‘s approach is to apply several fuel-saving solutions on one ship, measuring the contribution of each technology to the overall picture. Examples that have already been applied on “Jumbo Jubilee” include an efficiency-enhancing propeller coating, an AI-supported antifouling monitoring system and an eco-control system. The latest measure, the installation of two Econowind fans, is designed to assess the impact of WASP on the vessel’s efficiency.
Jumbo’s technical manager, Andres Cassanova, explained: “These sails are not fully optimised for our type of vessel, but they will help us gain valuable insights into real fuel savings.”
The relatively small footprint of the sails makes them “an ideal solution” for installation on a heavy-lift vessel where space is needed for project cargoes, the shipping company added. In addition, the sails are flexibly mounted on a frame developed by Jumbo structural engineer Estelle Bongers. This allows the sails to be moved or transferred to another ship if additional space is required for the cargo.
The installation of the Ventofoils followed the application of an antifouling coating to the ship’s propeller to maintain efficiency and the introduction of an AI-supported system to monitor the hull’s antifouling coating.
