Orix Corporation and Sumitomo Heavy Industries Marine & Engineering (SHI-ME) have begun a feasibility study of utilising wind power on one of Orix’s bulk carriers. For the study, a wing-shaped soft sail will be installed.
North Sails Japan (NSJ) will supply the sails to obtain wind power as assisting power for the ship’s propulsion. The aim is to reduce the consumption of heavy fuel oil, which is being used as the primary fuel, and decrease CO2 emissions.
The soft sail used in this study is made of advanced polyethylene fiber fabric, dimensioned 8 metres in height and 13.2 metres in width and its angle can be adjusted depending on the wind direction.
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Gathering data
In the study, SHI-ME and NSJ will handle the design of the wind-assisted propulsion system, including the soft sail, as well as the analysis of operational data when the sail is in use. Orix will be responsible for the installation of the soft sail and for measuring and collecting fuel efficiency data during operation. The energy-saving effects will be calculated as theoretical values based on the data obtained from this experiment.
Through this feasibility study, ORIX and SHI-ME aim to improve the fuel efficiency of existing vessels, deepen their knowledge in utilising the wind-assisted propulsion system powered by green energy, and advance efforts toward the practical application of this system.
Picture: The vessel with wind propulsion system installed. The actual number of soft sails installed may differ (image by Sumitomo Heavy Industries Marine & Engineering).
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