The Topic shipping company has completed another retrofit project: the “Maria Topic” has been fitted with a sail from Oceanwings at the Tsuneishi Shipbuilding yard in Japan.
The “Maria Topic”, an Ultramax-class bulk carrier, has been successfully retrofitted for operation using wind power. The Topic shipping company opted for a rigid, foldable wing sail from Oceanwings. The work was carried out at the Japanese shipyard Tsuneishi Shipbuilding. Following the “Paolo Topic”, the “Maria Topic” – built in 2016, a 200-metre-long bulk carrier with a gross tonnage of 34,905 – is already the second vessel in the Topic fleet to be fitted with sails.
For Oceanwings, this retrofit represents a significant milestone, as, according to a statement from the company, it demonstrates that rigid wing sail technology can be successfully integrated into a commercial vessel currently in service. The project also demonstrates the project partners’ expertise in the production, supply and installation of wind-assisted propulsion solutions for the dry bulk carrier market.
“The ‘Maria Topic’ follows on from the ‘Paolo Topic’ on our journey towards more sustainable shipping,” said Topic CEO Alex Albertini. “By fitting an existing bulk carrier with a wind-assisted propulsion system, we are continuing to invest in practical technologies that reduce our fleet’s fuel consumption and emissions.”
Nakai Toshifumi, Managing Executive Officer and Chief Ship Repair Officer at Tsuneishi, added: “We are proud to have completed this pioneering retrofit project in collaboration with Oceanwings and Topic. The project demonstrates that wind-assisted propulsion systems can be efficiently integrated into an existing vessel by utilising Tsuneishi Shipbuilding’s expertise in ship repair and retrofitting, thereby accelerating the transition to more energy-efficient shipping. We are committed to contributing to the decarbonisation of the industry by utilising our expertise in ship repair and retrofitting to bring innovative technologies into practical use.”
“The ‘Maria Topic’ is the latest proof that our technology delivers where it matters most: in commercial operation,” said Oceanwings CEO Emmanuel Schalit. “We designed Oceanwings to ensure the system is simple and robust, and meets the requirements of the bulk carrier sector. This project represents a significant industrial milestone for Oceanwings and underlines our ability to manufacture, deliver and commission our technology on a commercial scale.”
Oceanwings and Topic will present initial findings from the operation at the SMM trade fair in Hamburg in September 2026 and provide a first insight into the ship’s performance in commercial service.
The retrofitting of the ‘Maria Topic’ was carried out with the support of the European WHISPER (Wind Energy Harvesting for Ship Propulsion Assistance and Power) project, which is funded under the European Union’s ‘Horizon Europe’ programme. As part of WHISPER, 13 partners from six European countries are working together to develop and validate modular retrofit solutions that combine wind-assisted propulsion with on-board renewable energy systems, thereby driving forward the decarbonisation of commercial shipping.
