Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) has strengthened its collaboration with Bound4blue by contracting three 22-metre-high eSAIL suction sails. The fully autonomous wind assisted ship propulsion (WASP) system will be installed on a newbuild MR tanker from New Times Shipbuilding in Jiangsu Province, China in late 2025.
The agreement follows EPS’ first project with Bound4blue earlier this year, which involved retrofitting three eSAILs on Pacific Sentinel, a 50,000-DWT vessel, in February.
Also read: Bound4blue lands major Maersk wind retrofit deal
Surge in orders
Bound4blue is experiencing a surge in orders for its DNV type approved system, which works by dragging air across an aerodynamic surface to generate propulsive efficiency. This helps reduce vessel fuel use, OPEX and emissions to air, while also enhancing regulatory compliance.
In 2024 alone, Bound4blue saw exponential growth, increasing from four projects on the orderbook to fourteen, with four installations up and running.
Also read: Louis Dreyfus contracts bound4blue for eSAILs on juice vessel
Decarbonisation strategy
EPS’ decision to incorporate eSAIL technology aligns with its broader decarbonisation strategy, which includes dual-fuel vessels, biofuels, voyage optimisation systems, and carbon capture technologies.
Commenting on the agreement, Daniel Mann, CCO at Bound4blue says: ‘EPS’ adoption of our eSAIL technology not only reflects their commitment to greener shipping, but also paves the way for broader industry adoption of wind assisted propulsion systems. These systems offer a proven, mechanically simple solution to reduce emissions, cut costs, and meet regulatory requirements such as FuelEU Maritime, CII, and EU ETS.’
For EPS is the first time a wind-assisted propulsion system is installed on a newbuild vessel. According to Mirtcho Spassov, Decarbonisation Manager at EPS, this project ‘lays the foundation for wider adoption of WASP technology across our fleet.’
Also read: First installation of Bound4blue’s eSAILs on roro vessel
Diverse vessel types
Singapore-headquartered EPS manages an extensive fleet comprising over 300 vessels with a combined DWT of 31 million.
The flexibility of Bound4blue’s eSAILs makes it suitable for both newbuilds and retrofits across diverse vessel types, including, but not limited to, tankers, bulkers, Ro-Ros, cruise ships, ferries, gas carriers, and general cargo vessels.
Picture: EPS has signed its second contract with Bound4blue as it continues on its decarbonisation voyage (digitally rendered image of eSAILs on MR newbuild, supplied by Bound4blue).
Also read: First LR class notation for onboard carbon capture to EPS tanker
